Methods of using novel steroid hormone orphan receptors

ABSTRACT

Novel members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors are described. DNA sequences encoding same, expression vectors containing such DNA and host cells transformed with such expression vectors are also disclosed, as are methods for the expression of the novel receptors of the invention, and various uses thereof.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/333,358, filed Nov. 2, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,571 696, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/761,068, filed Sep. 17, 1991, now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to novel steroid-hormone or steroid-hormone like receptor proteins, genes encoding such proteins, and methods of making and using such proteins. In a particular aspect, the present invention relates to bioassay systems for determining the selectivity of interaction between ligands and steroid-hormone or steroid-hormone like receptor proteins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transcriptional regulation of development and homeostasis in complex eukaryotes, including humans and other mammals, birds, fish, insects, and the like, is controlled by a wide variety of regulatory substances, including steroid and thyroid hormones. These hormones exert potent effects on development and differentiation of phylogenetically diverse organisms. The effects of hormones are mediated by interaction with specific, high affinity binding proteins referred to as receptors.

The ability to identify additional compounds which are able to affect transcription of genes which are responsive to steroid hormones or metabolites thereof, would be of significant value in identifying compounds of potential therapeutic use. Further, systems useful for monitoring solutions, body fluids, and the like, for the presence of steroid hormones or metabolites thereof, would be of value in medical diagnosis, as well as for various biochemical applications.

A number of receptor proteins, each specific for one of several classes of cognate steroid hormones e.g., estrogens (estrogen receptor), progesterones (progesterone receptor), glucocorticoid (glucocorticoid receptor), androgens (androgen receptor), aldosterones (mineralocorticoid receptor), vitamin D (vitamin D receptor)!, retinoids (e.g., retinoic acid receptor) or for cognate thyroid hormones (e.g., thyroid hormone receptor), are known. Receptor proteins have been found to be distributed throughout the cell population of complex eukaryotes in a tissue specific fashion.

Molecular cloning studies have made it possible to demonstrate that receptors for steroid, retinoid and thyroid hormones are all structurally related and comprise a superfamily of regulatory proteins. These regulatory proteins are capable of modulating specific gene expression in response to hormone stimulation by binding directly to cis-acting elements. Structural comparisons and functional studies with mutant receptors have revealed that these molecules are composed of a series of discrete functional domains, most notably, a DNA-binding domain that is composed typically of 66-68 amino acids, including two zinc fingers and an associated carboxy terminal stretch of approximately 250 amino acids, which latter region comprises the ligand-binding domain.

An important advance in the characterization of this superfamily of regulatory proteins has been the delineation of a growing list of gene products which possess the structural features of hormone receptors. This growing list of gene products has been isolated by low-stringency hybridization techniques employing DNA sequences encoding previously identified hormone receptor proteins.

It is known that steroid or thyroid hormones, protected forms thereof, or metabolites thereof, enter cells and bind to the corresponding specific receptor protein, initiating an allosteric alteration of the protein. As a result of this alteration, the complex of receptor and hormone (or metabolite thereof) is capable of binding to certain specific sites on chromatin with high affinity.

It is also known that many of the primary effects of steroid and thyroid hormones involve increased transcription of a subset of genes in specific cell types.

A number of steroid hormone- and thyroid hormone-responsive transcriptional control units have been identified. These include the mouse mammary tumor virus 5'-long terminal repeat (MTV LTR), responsive to glucocorticoid, aldosterone and androgen hormones; the transcriptional control units for mammalian growth hormone genes, responsive to glucocorticoids, estrogens and thyroid hormones; the transcriptional control units for mammalian prolactin genes and progesterone receptor genes, responsive to estrogens; the transcriptional control units for avian ovalbumin genes, responsive to progesterones; mammalian metallothionein gene transcriptional control units, responsive to glucocorticoids; and mammalian hepatic α_(2u) -globulin gene transcriptional control units, responsive to androgens, estrogens, thyroid hormones, and glucocorticoids.

A major obstacle to further understanding and more widespread use of the various members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of hormone receptors has been a lack of availability of the receptor proteins, in sufficient quantity and sufficiently pure form, to allow them to be adequately characterized. The same is true for the DNA gene segments which encode them. Lack of availability of these DNA segments has prevented in vitro manipulation and in vivo expression of the receptor-encoding genes, and consequently the knowledge such manipulation and expression would yield.

In addition, a further obstacle to a more complete understanding and more widespread use of members of the steroid/thyroid receptor superfamily is the fact that additional members of this superfamily remain to be discovered, isolated and characterized.

The present invention is directed to overcoming these problems of short supply of adequately purified receptor material, lack of DNA segments which encode such receptors and increasing the number of identified and characterized hormone receptors which are available for use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, we have discovered novel members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors. The novel receptors of the present invention are soluble, intracellular, nuclear (as opposed to cell surface) receptors, which are activated to modulate transcription of certain genes in animal cells when the cells are exposed to ligands therefor. The nuclear receptors of the present invention differ significantly from known steroid receptors, both in primary sequence and in responsiveness to exposure of cells to various ligands, e.g., steroids or steroid-like compounds.

Also provided in accordance with the present invention are DNAs encoding the receptors of the present invention, including expression vectors for expression thereof in animal cells, cells transformed with such expression vectors, cells co-transformed with such expression vectors and reporter vectors (to monitor the ability of the receptors to modulate transcription when the cells are exposed to a compound which interacts with the receptor); and methods of using such co-transformed cells in screening for compounds which are capable of leading to modulation of receptor activity.

Further provided in accordance with the present invention are DNA and RNA probes for identifying DNAs encoding additional steroid receptors.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for making the receptors of the invention by expressing DNAs which encode the receptors in suitable host organisms.

The novel receptors and DNAs encoding same can be employed for a variety of purposes. For example, novel receptors of the present invention can be included as part of a panel of receptors which are screened to determine the selectivity of interaction of proposed agonists or antagonists and other receptors. Thus, a compound which is believed to interact selectively, for example, with the glucocorticoid receptor, should not have any substantial effect on any other receptors, including those of the present invention. Conversely, if such a proposed compound does interact with one or more of the invention receptors, then the possibility of side reactions caused by such compound is clearly indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram correlating the relationship between the alternate spliced variants of invention receptor XR1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided DNAs encoding a polypeptide characterized by having a DNA binding domain comprising about 66 amino acids with 9 cysteine (Cys) residues, wherein said DNA binding domain has:

(i) less than about 70% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of human retinoic acid receptor-alpha (hRAR-alpha);

(ii) less than about 60% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of human thyroid receptor-beta (hTR-beta);

(iii) less than about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of human glucocorticoid receptor (hGR); and

(iv) less than about 65% amino acid sequence identity in with the DNA binding domain of human retinoid X receptor-alpha (hRXR-alpha).

Alternatively, DNAs of the invention can be characterized with respect to percent amino acid sequence identity of the ligand binding domain of polypeptides encoded thereby, relative to amino acid sequences of previously characterized receptors. As yet another alternative, DNAs of the invention can be characterized by the percent overall amino acid sequence identity of polypeptides encoded thereby, relative to amino acid sequences of previously characterized receptors.

Thus, DNAs of the invention can be characterized as encoding polypeptides having, in the ligand binding domain:

(i) less than about 35% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) less than about 30% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) less than about 25% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) less than about 30% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.

DNAs of the invention can be further characterized as encoding polypeptides having an overall amino acid sequence identity of:

(i) less than about 35% relative to hRAR-alpha;

(ii) less than about 35% relative to hTR-beta;

(iii) less than about 25% relative to hGR; and

(iv) less than about 35% relative to hRXR-alpha.

Specific receptors contemplated for use in the practice of the present invention include:

"XR1" (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR1", "hXR1", "hXR1.pep" or "verHT19.pep"; wherein the prefix "h" indicates the clone is of human origin), a polypeptide characterized as having a DNA binding domain comprising:

(i) about 68% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) about 45% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha;

see also Sequence ID No. 2 for a specific amino acid sequence representative of XR1, as well as Sequence ID No. 1 which is an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding XR1. In addition, Sequence ID Nos. 4 and 6 present alternate amino terminal sequences for the clone referred to as XR1 (the variant referred to as verht3 is presented in Sequence ID No. 4 (an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding such variant presented in Sequence ID No. 3), and the variant referred to as verhr5 is presented in Sequence ID No. 6 (an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding such variant presented in Sequence ID No. 5);

"XR2" (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR2", "hXR2" or "hXR2.pep"), a polypeptide characterized as having a DNA binding domain comprising:

(i) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) about 56% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) about 52% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha;

see also Sequence ID No. 8 for a specific amino acid sequence representative of XR2, as well as Sequence ID No. 7 which is an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding XR2;

"XR4" (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR4", "mXR4" or "mXR4.pep"; wherein the prefix "m" indicates the clone is of mouse origin), a polypeptide characterized as having a DNA binding domain comprising:

(i) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) about 58% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) about 48% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha;

see also Sequence ID No. 10 for a specific amino acid sequence representative of XR4, as well as Sequence ID No. 9 which is an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding XR4;

"XR5" (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR5", "mXR5" or "mXR5.pep"), a polypeptide characterized as having a DNA binding domain comprising:

(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) about 52% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) about 44% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) about 61% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha;

see also Sequence ID No. 12 for a specific amino acid sequence representative of XR5, as well as Sequence ID No. 11 which is an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding XR5; and

"XR79" (variously referred to herein as "XR79", "dXR79" or "dXR79.pep"; wherein the prefix "d" indicates the clone is of Drosophila origin), a polypeptide characterized as having a DNA binding domain comprising:

(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha;

see also Sequence ID No. 14 for a specific amino acid sequence representative of XR79, as well as Sequence ID No. 13 which is an exemplary nucleotide sequence encoding XR79.

The receptor referred to herein as "XR1" is observed as three closely related proteins, presumably produced by alternate splicing from a single gene. The first of these proteins to be characterized (referred to as "verht19") comprises about 548 amino acids, and has a M_(r) of about 63 kilodalton. Northern analysis indicates that a single mRNA species corresponding to XR1 is highly expressed in the brain. A variant of verht19 (alternatively referred to as "verht3", XR1 or XR1prime) is further characterized as comprising about 556 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 64 kilodalton. Yet another variant of verht19 (alternatively referred to as "verhr5", XR1" or XR1prim2) is further characterized as comprising about 523 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 60 kilodalton. The interrelationship between these three variants of XR1 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.

The receptor referred to herein as "XR2" is further characterized as a protein comprising about 440 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 50 kilodalton. Northern analysis indicates that a single mRNA species (˜1.7 kb) corresponding to XR2 is expressed most highly in liver, kidney, lung, intestine and adrenals of adult male rats. Transactivation studies (employing chimeric receptors containing the XR2 DNA binding domain and the ligand binding domain of a prior art receptor) indicate that XR2 is capable of binding to TRE_(pal). In terms of amino acid sequence identity with prior art receptors, XR2 is most closely related to the vitamin D receptor (39% overall amino acid sequence identity, 17% amino acid identity in the amino terminal domain of the receptor, 53% amino acid identity in the DNA binding domain of the receptor and 37% amino acid identity in the ligand binding domain of the receptor).

The receptor referred to herein as "XR4" is further characterized as a protein comprising about 439 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 50 kilodalton. In terms of amino acid sequence identity with prior art receptors, XR4 is most closely related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (62% overall amino acid sequence identity, 30% amino acid identity in the amino terminal domain of the receptor, 86% amino acid identity in the DNA binding domain of the receptor and 64% amino acid identity in the ligand binding domain of the receptor). XR4 is expressed ubiquitously and throughout development (as determined by in situ hybridization).

The receptor referred to herein as "XR5" is further characterized as a protein comprising about 556 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 64 kilodalton. In situ hybridization reveals widespread expression throughout development. High levels of expression are observed in the embryonic liver around day 12, indicating a potential role in haematopoiesis. High levels are also found in maturing dorsal root ganglia and in the skin. In terms of amino acid sequence identity with prior art receptors, XR5 most closely related to the rat nerve growth factor induced protein-B (NGFI-B) receptor. With respect to NGFI-B, XR5 has 29% overall amino acid sequence identity, 15% amino acid identity in the amino terminal domain of the receptor, 52% amino acid identity in the DNA binding domain of the receptor and 29% amino acid identity in the ligand binding domain of the receptor.

The receptor referred to herein as "XR79" is further characterized as a protein comprising about 601 amino acids, and having a M_(r) of about 66 kilodalton. Whole mount in situ hybridization reveals a fairly uniform pattern of RNA expression during embryogenesis. Northern blot analysis indicates that a 2.5 kb transcript corresponding to XR79 is present in RNA throughout development. The levels of XR79 mRNA are highest in RNA from 0-3 hour old embryos, i.e., maternal product, and lowest in RNA from the second instar larvae (L2 stage). In situ hybridization reveals that XR79 is distributed relatively uniformly at different stages of embryogenesis. In terms of amino acid sequence identity with prior art receptors, XR79 is most closely related to the mammalian receptor TR2 see Chang and Kokontis in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 155: 971-977 (1988)!, as well as members of the coup family, i.e., ear2, coup(ear3), harp-1. With respect to TR2, XR79 has 33% overall amino acid sequence identity, 16% amino acid identity in the amino terminal domain of the receptor, 74% amino acid identity in the DNA binding domain of the receptor and 28% amino acid identity in the ligand binding domain of the receptor. With respect to coup (ear3) see Miyajima et al., in Nucl Acids Res 16: 11057-11074 (1988)!, XR79 has 32% overall amino acid sequence identity, 21% amino acid identity in the amino terminal domain of the receptor, 62% amino acid identity in the DNA binding domain of the receptor and 22% amino acid identity in the ligand binding domain of the receptor.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an expression vector which comprises DNA as previously described (or functional fragments thereof), and which further comprises:

at the 5'-end of said DNA, a promoter and a nucleotide triplet encoding a translational start codon, and

at the 3'-end of said DNA, a nucleotide triplet encoding a translational stop codon;

wherein said expression vector is operative in a cell in culture (e.g., yeast, bacteria, mammalian) to express the protein encoded by said DNA.

As employed herein, reference to "functional fragments" embraces DNA encoding portions of the invention receptors which retain one or more of the functional characteristics of steroid hormone or steroid hormone-like receptors, e.g., DNA binding properties of such receptors, ligand binding properties of such receptors, the ability to heterodimerize, nuclear localization properties of such receptors, phosphorylation properties of such receptors, transactivation domains characteristic of such receptors, and the like.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, there are provided cells in culture (e.g., yeast, bacteria, mammalian) which are transformed with the above-described expression vector.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of making the above-described novel receptors (or functional fragments thereof) by culturing the above-described cells under conditions suitable for expression of polypeptide product.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, there are provided novel polypeptide products produced by the above-described method.

In accordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention, there are provided chimeric receptors comprising at least an amino-terminal domain, a DNA-binding domain, and a ligand-binding domain,

wherein at least one of the domains thereof is derived from the novel polypeptides of the present invention; and

wherein at least one of the domains thereof is derived from at least one previously identified member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors e.g., glucocorticoid receptor (GR), thyroid receptors (TR), retinoic acid receptors (RAR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), estrogen receptor (ER), the estrogen related receptors (e.g., hERR1 or hERR2), retinoid X receptors (e.g., RXRα, RXRβ or RXRδ), vitamin D receptor (VDR), aldosterone receptor (AR), progesterone receptor (PR), the ultraspiracle receptor (USP), nerve growth factor induced protein-B (NGFI-B), the coup family of transcription factors (COUP), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), mammalian receptor TR2 (TR2), and the like.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of using polypeptides of the invention to screen for response elements and/or ligands for the novel receptors described herein. The method to identify compounds which act as ligands for receptor polypeptides of the invention comprising:

assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting of cells containing a chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound;

wherein said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide comprises the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide and the amino-terminal and DNA-binding domains of one or more previously identified members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors;

wherein said reporter vector comprises:

(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell,

(b) a hormone response element which is responsive to the receptor from which the DNA-binding domain of said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide is derived, and

(c) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,

wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and

wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof, and thereafter

identifying those compounds which induce or block the production of reporter in the presence of said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide.

The method to identify response elements for receptor polypeptides of the invention comprises:

assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting of cells containing a chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with a compound which is a known agonist or antagonist for the receptor from which the ligand-binding domain of said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide is derived;

wherein said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide comprises the DNA-binding domain of the receptor polypeptide and the amino-terminal and ligand-binding domains of one or more previously identified members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors;

wherein said reporter vector comprises:

(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell,

(b) a putative hormone response element, and

(c) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,

wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and

wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof; and

identifying those response elements for which the production of reporter is induced or blocked in the presence of said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a DNA or RNA labeled for detection; wherein said DNA or RNA comprises a nucleic acid segment, preferably of at least 20 bases in length, wherein said segment has substantially the same sequence as a segment of the same length selected from the DNA segment represented by bases 21-1902, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 1, bases 1-386, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 3, bases 10-300, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 5, bases 21-1615, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 7, bases 21-2000, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 9, bases 1-2450, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 11, bases 21-2295, inclusive, of Sequence ID No. 13, or the complement of any of said segments.

In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, there are provided methods of testing compound(s) for the ability to regulate transcription-activating effects of a receptor polypeptide, said method comprising assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting of cells containing a receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound;

wherein said receptor polypeptide is characterized by having a DNA binding domain comprising about 66 amino acids with 9 Cys residues, wherein said DNA binding domain has:

(i) less than about 70% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha;

(ii) less than about 60% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta;

(iii) less than about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and

(iv) less than about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha; and

wherein said reporter vector comprises:

(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell,

(b) a hormone response element, and

(c) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,

wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and

wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof.

In accordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of testing a compound for its ability to selectively regulate the transcription-activating effects of a specific receptor polypeptide, said method comprising:

assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting of cells containing said receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound;

wherein said receptor polypeptide is characterized by being responsive to the presence of a known ligand for said receptor to regulate the transcription of associated gene(s);

wherein said reporter vector comprises:

(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell,

(b) a hormone response element, and

(c) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,

wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and

wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof; and

assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting of cells containing chimeric receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound;

wherein said chimeric receptor polypeptide comprises the ligand binding domain of a novel receptor of the present invention, and the DNA binding domain of said specific receptor; and thereafter

selecting those compounds which induce or block the production of reporter in the presence of said specific receptor, but are substantially unable to induce or block the production of reporter in the presence of said chimeric receptor.

The above-described methods of testing compounds for the ability to regulate transcription-activating effects of invention receptor polypeptides can be carried out employing methods described in U.S. Ser. No. 108,471, filed Oct. 20, 1987, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

As employed herein, the term "expression vector" refers to constructs containing DNA of the invention (or functional fragments thereof), plus all sequences necessary for manipulation and expression of such DNA. Such an expression vector will contain both a "translational start site" and a "translational stop site". Those of skill in the art can readily identify sequences which act as either translational start sites or translational stop sites.

Suitable host cells for use in the practice of the present invention include prokaroytic and eukaryote cells, e.g., bacteria, yeast, mammalian cells and the like.

Labeled DNA or RNA contemplated for use in the practice of the present invention comprises nucleic acid sequences covalently attached to readily analyzable species such as, for example, radiolabel (e.g., ³² p, ³ H³⁵ S, and the like), enzymatically active label, and the like.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES Example I ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF XR1

The KpnI/SacI restriction fragment (503 bp) including the DNA-binding domain of hRAR-alpha-encoding DNA See Giguere et al., Nature 330: 624-629 (1987); and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 276,536, filed Nov. 30, 1988; and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 325 849, all incorporated herein by reference! was nick-translated and used to screen a rat brain cDNA library see DNA Cloning, A practical approach, Vol I and II, D. M. Glover, ed. (IRL Press (1985)! and a lambda-gt11 human liver cDNA library Kwok et al., Biochem. 24: 556 (1985)! at low stringency. The hybridization mixture contained 35% formamide, 1× Denhardt's, 5× SSPE (1× SSPE=0.15M NaCl mM Na₂ HPO₄ 1 mM EDTA), 0.1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 10⁶ cpm of .sup. P!-labelled probe. Duplicate nitrocellulose filters were hybridized for 16h at 42° C., washed once at 25° C. for 15 min with 2×SSC (1× SSC=0.15M NaCl, 0.015M sodium citrate), 0.1% SDS and then washed twice at 55° C. for 30 min. in 2×SSC, 0.1% SDS. The filters were autoradiographed for 3 days at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

After several rounds of screening, a pure positive clone having an insert of about 2.1 kb is obtained from the rat brain cDNA library. Several positive clones are obtained from the human liver library. Sequence analysis of the positive rat brain clone indicates that this clone encodes a novel member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors. Sequence analysis of one of the positive human liver clones (designated "hL1", a 1.7 kb cDNA) indicates that this clone is the human equivalent of the rat brain clone, based on sequence homology.

The EcoRI insert of clone hL1 (labeled with ³² P is also used as a probe to screen a human testis cDNA library (Clonetech) and a human retina cDNA library see Nathans et al., in Science 232: 193-202 (1986)!. Hybridization conditions comprised a hybridization mixture containing 50% formamide, 1× Denhardt's, 5× SSPE, 0.1% SDS, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 106 cpm of ³² P!-labelled probe. Duplicate nitrocellulose filters were hybridized for 16h at 42° C., washed once at 25° C. for 15 min with 2× SSC (1× SSC=0.015M NaCl, 0.015M sodium citrate), 0.1% SDS and then washed twice at 55° C. for 30 min. in 2× SSC, 0.1% SDS. The filters were autoradiographed for 3 days at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

After several rounds of screening, five (5) positive clones were obtained from the human retina cDNA library, and five (5) positive clones were obtained from the human testis cDNA library. Sequence analysis of two clones from the testis library indicates that these clones encode different isoforms of the same novel member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors (designated as "Verht19" and "Verht3"). Sequence analysis of one of the positive clones from the human retina library indicates that this clone is yet another isoform of the same novel member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors (designated "Verhr5"). The full length sequence of Verht19 is set forth herein as Sequence ID No. 1 (which includes an indication of where the splice site is for each of the variants, verht3 and verhr5). The amino-terminal sequence of verht3 and verhr5 are presented in Sequence ID Nos. 3 and 5, respectively. In addition, the interrelationship between each of these three isoforms is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1.

Example II ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF XR2

The KpnI/SacI restriction fragment (503 bp) including the DNA-binding domain of hRAR-alpha-encoding DNA See Giguere et al., Nature 330: 624 (1987); and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 276,536, filed Nov. 30, 1988; and European Patent Application Publication No. 0 325 849, all incorporated herein by reference! was nick-translated and used to screen a lambda-gt11 human liver cDNA library Kwok et al., Biochem. 24: 556 (1985)! at low stringency. The hybridization mixture contained 35% formamide, 1× Denhardt's, 5× SSPE (1× SSPE=0.15M NaCl, 10 mM Na₂ HPO₄ 1 mM EDTA), 0.1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 10⁶ cpm of P!-labelled probe. Duplicate nitrocellulose filters were hybridized for 16h at 42° C., washed once at 25° C. for 15 min with 2× SSC (1× SSC=0.15M NaCl, 0.015M sodium citrate), 0.1% SDS and then washed twice at 55° C. for 30 min. in 2× SSC, 0.1% SDS. The filters were autoradiographed for 3 days at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

Positive clones were isolated, subcloned into pGEM vectors (Promega, Madison, Wis., USA), restriction mapped, and re-subcloned in various sized restriction fragments into M13mp18 and M13mp19 sequencing vectors. DNA sequence was determined by the dideoxy method with Sequenase™ sequencing kit (United States Biochemical, Cleveland, Ohio, USA) and analyzed by University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group programs Devereux et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 12, 387 (1984)!. Several clones of a unique receptor-like sequence were identified, the longest of which was designated lambda-HLl-1 (also referred to herein as XR2).

The DNA sequence of the resulting clone is set forth as Sequence ID No. 7.

Example III ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF XR4

A clone which encodes a portion of the coding sequence for XR4 was isolated from a mouse embryonic library by screening under low stringency conditions (as described above).

The library used was a lambda gt10 day 8.5 cDNA library having an approximate titer of 1.3×10.sup. /ml (derived from 8.5 day old embryonic material with as much of the amnion and extraembryonic tissues dissected away as possible). This library was prepared from poly A⁺ selected RNA (by oligo-dT priming), Gubler & Hoffman cloning methods Gene 25: 263 (1983)!, and cloned into the EcoRI site of lambda gt10.

The probe used was a mixture of radioactively labeled DNA derived from the DNA binding regions of the human alpha and beta retinoic acid receptors.

Positive clones were isolated, subcloned into pGEM vectors (Promega, Madison, Wis., USA), restriction mapped, and re-subcloned in various sized restriction fragments into M13mp18 and M13mp19 sequencing vectors. DNA sequence was determined by the dideoxy method with Sequenase™ sequencing kit (United States Biochemical, Cleveland, Ohio, USA) and analyzed by University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group programs Devereux et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 12, 387 (1984)!. Several clones of a unique receptor-like sequence were identified, the longest of which was designated XR4.

The DNA sequence of the resulting clone is set forth as Sequence ID No. 9.

Example IV ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF XR5

A clone which encodes a portion of the coding sequence for XR5 was isolated from a mouse embryonic library by screening under low stringency conditions (as described above).

The library used was the same lambda gt10 day 8.5 cDNA library described in the preceding example. Similarly, the probe used was the same mixture of radioactively labeled DNA described in the preceding example.

Only one of the clones isolated corresponds to a portion of the coding region for XR5. A 0.7 kb EcoRI fragment of this clone (designated as No. II-17) was subcloned into the bluescript pksII-Vector. Partial sequence analysis of this insert fragment shows homology to the DNA binding domain of the retinoic acid receptors.

The EcoRI-insert was used to rescreen a second library (a mouse lambda ZAPII day 6.5 cDNA library, prepared as described below) under high stringency conditions. A total of 21 phages were isolated and rescued into the psk-vector. Partial sequencing allowed inserts from 13 of these phages to be identified as having sequences which overlap with XR5 II-17. The clone with the longest single EcoRI-insert was sequenced, revealing an open reading frame of 556 amino acids. This sequence was extended further upstream by 9 bp from the furthest 5'-reaching clone.

The DNA sequence of the resulting clone is set forth as Sequence ID No. 11.

The day 6.5 cDNA library, derived from 6.5 day old mouse embryonic material was prepared from poly selected RNA (by oligo-dT priming), and cloned into the EcoRI site of lambda gt10.

Example V ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF XR79

The 550 bp BamHI restriction fragment, including the DNA-binding domain of mouse RAR-beta-encoding DNA (See Hamada et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86: 8289 (1989); incorporated by reference herein) was nick-translated and used to screen a Lambda-ZAP cDNA library comprising a size selected Drosophila genomic library (˜2-5 kb, EcoRI restricted) at low stringency. The hybridization mixture contained 35% formamide, 1× Denhardt's, 5× SSPE (1× SSPE=0.15M NaCl, 10mM Na₂ HPO₄ 1 mM EDTA), 0.1% SDS, 10% dextran sulfate, 100 mg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 10⁶ cpm of ³² P!-labelled probe. Duplicate nitrocellulose filters were hybridized for 16h at 42° C., washed once at 25° C. for 15 min with 2× SSC (1× SSC=0.15M NaCl,0.015M sodium citrate), 0.1% SDS and then washed twice at 55° C. for 30 min. in 2× SSC, 0.1% SDS. The filters were autoradiographed for 3 days at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

After several rounds of screening, a pure positive clone having an insert of about 3.5 kb is obtained from the Drosophila genomic library. This genomic clone was then used to screen a Drosophila imaginal disc lambda gt10 cDNA library obtained from Dr. Charles Zuker; see DNA Cloning, A practical approach, Vol I and II, D. M. Glover, ed. (IRL Press (1985)!. Hybridization conditions comprised a hybridization mixture containing 50% formamide, 1× Denhardt's, 5× SSPE, 0.1% SDS, 100 μg/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA and 10⁶ cpm of P!-labelled probe. Duplicate nitrocellulose filters were hybridized for 16h at 42 ° C., washed once at 25° C. for 15 min with 2× SSC (1× SSC=0.15M NaCl, 0.015M sodium citrate), 0.1% SDS and then washed twice at 55° C. for 30 min. in 2× SSC, 0.1% SDS. The filters were autoradiographed for 3 days at -70° C. using an intensifying screen.

Sequence analysis of the positive cDNA clone indicates that this clone encodes another novel member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors (designated "XR79" a 2.5 kb cDNA) See Sequence ID No. 13 for the DNA sequence of the resulting clone.

The 2.5 kbcDNA encoding XR79 was nick-translated and used as a probe for a nitrocellulose filter containing size-fractionated total RNA, isolated by standard methods from Drosophila melanogaster of different developmental stages. The probe hybridized to a 2.5 kb transcript which was present in RNA throughout development. The levels were highest in RNA from 0-3 hour old embryos and lowest in RNA from second instar larvae. The same 2.5 kb cDNA was nick translated using biotinylated nucleotides and used as a probe for in situ sybridization to whole Drosophila embryos Tautz and Pfeifle, Chromosoma 98: 81-85 (1989)!. The RNA distribution appeared relatively uniform at different stages of embryogenesis.

Example VI SEQUENCE COMPARISONS OF INVENTION RECEPTORS WITH hRARα, hTRβ, hGR, AND hRXRα

Amino acid sequences of XR1, hRAR-alpha (human retinoic acid receptor-alpha), hTR-beta (human thyroid hormone receptor-beta), hGR (human glucocorticoid receptor), and hRXR-alpha (human retinoid receptor-alpha) were aligned using the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group program "Bestfit" (Devereux et al., supra). The percentage of amino acid identity between RX2 and the other receptors, i.e., in the 66-68 amino acid DNA binding domains and the ligand-binding domains, are summarized in Table 1 as percent amino acid identity.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Percent amino acid identity between                                            receptor XR1 (verht19) and hRARα, TRβ, hGR, and hRXRα         Comparison                                                                               Percent amino acid identity                                          receptor  Overall N-term.sup.1                                                                             DNA-BD.sup.2                                                                          Ligand-BD.sup.3                             ______________________________________                                         hGR       18      21        45     20                                          hTRβ 31      14        59     30                                          hRARα                                                                              32      25        68     27                                          hRXRα                                                                              29      15        65     22                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 "Nterm" = amino terminal domain                                         .sup.2 "DNABD" = receptor DNA binding domain                                   .sup.3 "LigandBD" = receptor ligand binding domain                       

Similarly, the amino acid sequences of invention receptors XR2, XR4, XR5, and XR79 were compared with human RAR-alpha (hRARα), human TR-beta (hTRβ), human glucocorticoid (hGR) and human RXR-alpha (hRXRα). As done in Table 1, the percentage of amino acid identity between the invention receptors and the other receptors are summarized in Tables 2-5, respectively.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                         Percent amino acid identity between                                            receptor XR2 and hRARα, TRβ, hGR, and hRXRα                   Comparison                                                                               Percent amino acid identity                                          receptor  Overall N-term.sup.1                                                                             DNA-BD.sup.2                                                                          Ligand-BD.sup.3                             ______________________________________                                         hGR       24      21        50     20                                          hTRβ 31      19        56     29                                          hRARα                                                                              33      21        55     32                                          hRXRα                                                                              27      19        52     23                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 "Nterm" = amino terminal domain                                         .sup.2 "DNABD" = receptor DNA binding domain                                   .sup.3 "LigandBD" = receptor ligand binding domain                       

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                         Percent amino acid identity between                                            receptor XR4 and hRARα, TRβ, hGR, and hRXRα                   Comparison                                                                               Percent amino acid identity                                          receptor  Overall N-term.sup.1                                                                             DNA-BD.sup.2                                                                          Ligand-BD.sup.3                             ______________________________________                                         hGR       25      24        48     21                                          hTRβ 31      21        58     27                                          hRARα                                                                              32      22        62     29                                          hRXRα                                                                              33      24        62     28                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 "Nterm" = amino terminal domain                                         .sup.2 "DNABD" = receptor DNA binding domain                                   .sup.3 "LigandBD" = receptor ligand binding domain                       

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                         Percent amino acid identity between                                            receptor XR5 and hRARα, TRβ, hGR, and hRXRα                   Comparison                                                                               Percent amino acid identity                                          receptor  Overall N-term.sup.1                                                                             DNA-BD.sup.2                                                                          Ligand-BD.sup.3                             ______________________________________                                         hGR       20      20        44     20                                          hTRβ 24      14        52     22                                          hRARα                                                                              27      19        59     19                                          hRXRα                                                                              29      17        61     27                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 "Nterm" = amino terminal domain                                         .sup.2 "DNABD" = receptor DNA binding domain                                   .sup.3 "LigandBD" = receptor ligand binding domain                       

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                         Percent amino acid identity between                                            receptor XR79 and hRARα, TRβ, hGR, and hRXRα                  Comparison                                                                               Percent amino acid identity                                          receptor  Overall N-term.sup.1                                                                             DNA-BD.sup.2                                                                          Ligand-BD.sup.3                             ______________________________________                                         hGR       18      22        50     20                                          hTRβ 28      22        55     20                                          hRARα                                                                              24      14        59     18                                          hRXRα                                                                              33      20        65     24                                          ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 "Nterm" = amino terminal domain                                         .sup.2 "DNABD" = receptor DNA binding domain                                   .sup.3 "LigandBD" = receptor ligand binding domain                       

While the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that modifications and variations are within the spirit and scope of that which is described and claimed.

SUMMARY OF SEQUENCES

Sequence ID No. 1 is a nucleotide sequence encoding novel receptor of the present invention designated as "hXR1".

Sequence ID No. 2 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence set forth in Sequence ID No. 1 (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR1", "hXR1", "hXR1.pep" or "verHT19.pep").

Sequence ID No. 3 is a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino-terminal portion of the novel receptor of the present invention designated as "hXR1prime".

Sequence ID No. 4 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence set forth in Sequence ID No. 3 (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR1prime", "hXR1prime", "hXR1prime.pep" or "verHT3.pep").

Sequence ID No. 5 is a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino-terminal portion of the novel receptor of the present invention designated as "hXR1prim2".

Sequence ID No. 6 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence set forth in Sequence ID No. 5 (variously referred to herein as receptor " XR1prim2", "hXR1prim2", " hXR1prim2.pep"or " verHr5.pep").

Sequence ID No. 7 is a nucleotide sequence encoding the novel receptor of the present invention designated as "hXR2".

Sequence ID No. 8 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence set forth in Sequence No. 7 (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR2", "hXR2" or "hXR2.pep").

Sequence ID No. 9 is a nucleotide sequence encoding novel receptor of the present invention referred to herein as "mXR4".

Sequence ID No. 10 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of Sequence ID No. 9 (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR4", "mXR4" or "mXR4.pep").

Sequence ID No. 11 is the nucleotide sequence encoding the novel receptor of the present invention referred to as "mXR5".

Sequence ID No. 12 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of Sequence ID No. 11 (variously referred to herein as receptor "XR5", "mXR5" or "mXR5.pep").

Sequence ID No. 13 is the nucleotide sequence encoding the novel receptor of the present invention referred to as "dXR79".

Sequence ID No. 14 is the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of Sequence ID No. 13 (variously referred to herein as "XR79", "dXR79" or "dXR79.pep").

    __________________________________________________________________________     SEQUENCE LISTING                                                               (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:                                                       (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 14                                                  (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:1:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 1952 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: XR1 (VERHT19.SEQ)                                                   (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 79..1725                                                         (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: misc.sub.-- feature                                              (B) LOCATION: 349..1952                                                        (D) OTHER INFORMATION: /product="Carboxy terminal portion                      of XR1 variant verht3"                                                         (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: misc.sub.-- feature                                              (B) LOCATION: 352..1952                                                        (D) OTHER INFORMATION: /product="Carboxy terminal portion                      of XR1 variant verhr5"                                                         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:1:                                        GAATTCGGGGACTCCATAGTACACTGGGGCAAAGCACAGCCCCAGTTTCTGGAGGCAGAT60                 GGGTAACCAGGAAAAGGCATGAATGAGGGGGCCCCAGGAGACAGTGACTTA111                         MetAsnGluGlyAlaProGlyAspSerAspLeu                                              1510                                                                           GAGACTGAGGCAAGAGTGCCGTGGTCAATCATGGGTCATTGTCTTCGA159                            GluThrGluAlaArgValProTrpSerIleMetGlyHisCysLeuArg                               152025                                                                         ACTGGACAGGCCAGAATGTCTGCCACACCCACACCTGCAGGTGAAGGA207                            ThrGlyGlnAlaArgMetSerAlaThrProThrProAlaGlyGluGly                               303540                                                                         GCCAGAAGCTCTTCAACCTGTAGCTCCCTGAGCAGGCTGTTCTGGTCT255                            AlaArgSerSerSerThrCysSerSerLeuSerArgLeuPheTrpSer                               455055                                                                         CAACTTGAGCACATAAACTGGGATGGAGCCACAGCCAAGAACTTTATT303                            GlnLeuGluHisIleAsnTrpAspGlyAlaThrAlaLysAsnPheIle                               60657075                                                                       AATTTAAGGGAGTTCTTCTCTTTTCTGCTCCCTGCATTGAGAAAAGCT351                            AsnLeuArgGluPhePheSerPheLeuLeuProAlaLeuArgLysAla                               808590                                                                         CAAATTGAAATTATTCCATGCAAGATCTGTGGAGACAAATCATCAGGA399                            GlnIleGluIleIleProCysLysIleCysGlyAspLysSerSerGly                               95100105                                                                       ATCCATTATGGTGTCATTACATGTGAAGGCTGCAAGGGCTTTTTCAGG447                            IleHisTyrGlyValIleThrCysGluGlyCysLysGlyPhePheArg                               110115120                                                                      AGAAGTCAGCAAAGCAATGCCACCTACTCCTGTCCTCGTCAGAAGAAC495                            ArgSerGlnGlnSerAsnAlaThrTyrSerCysProArgGlnLysAsn                               125130135                                                                      TGTTTGATTGATCGAACCAGTAGAAACCGCTGCCAACACTGTCGATTA543                            CysLeuIleAspArgThrSerArgAsnArgCysGlnHisCysArgLeu                               140145150155                                                                   CAGAAATGCCTTGCCGTAGGGATGTCTCGAGATGCTGTAAAATTTGGC591                            GlnLysCysLeuAlaValGlyMetSerArgAspAlaValLysPheGly                               160165170                                                                      CGAATGTCAAAAAAGCAGAGAGACAGCTTGTATGCAGAAGTACAGAAA639                            ArgMetSerLysLysGlnArgAspSerLeuTyrAlaGluValGlnLys                               175180185                                                                      CACCGGATGCAGCAGCAGCAGCGCGACCACCAGCAGCAGCCTGGAGAG687                            HisArgMetGlnGlnGlnGlnArgAspHisGlnGlnGlnProGlyGlu                               190195200                                                                      GCTGAGCCGCTGACGCCCACCTACAACATCTCGGCCAACGGGCTGACG735                            AlaGluProLeuThrProThrTyrAsnIleSerAlaAsnGlyLeuThr                               205210215                                                                      GAACTTCACGACGACCTCAGTAACTACATTGACGGGCACACCCCTGAG783                            GluLeuHisAspAspLeuSerAsnTyrIleAspGlyHisThrProGlu                               220225230235                                                                   GGGAGTAAGGCAGACTCCGCCGTCAGCAGCTTCTACCTGGACATACAG831                            GlySerLysAlaAspSerAlaValSerSerPheTyrLeuAspIleGln                               240245250                                                                      CCTTCCCCAGACCAGTCAGGTCTTGATATCAATGGAATCAAACCAGAA879                            ProSerProAspGlnSerGlyLeuAspIleAsnGlyIleLysProGlu                               255260265                                                                      CCAATATGTGACTACACACCAGCATCAGGCTTCTTTCCCTACTGTTCG927                            ProIleCysAspTyrThrProAlaSerGlyPhePheProTyrCysSer                               270275280                                                                      TTCACCAACGGCGAGACTTCCCCAACTGTGTCCATGGCAGAATTAGAA975                            PheThrAsnGlyGluThrSerProThrValSerMetAlaGluLeuGlu                               285290295                                                                      CACCTTGCACAGAATATATCTAAATCGCATCTGGAAACCTGCCAATAC1023                           HisLeuAlaGlnAsnIleSerLysSerHisLeuGluThrCysGlnTyr                               300305310315                                                                   TTGAGAGAAGAGCTCCAGCAGATAACGTGGCAGACCTTTTTACAGGAA1071                           LeuArgGluGluLeuGlnGlnIleThrTrpGlnThrPheLeuGlnGlu                               320325330                                                                      GAAATTGAGAACTATCAAAACAAGCAGCGGGAGGTGATGTGGCAATTG1119                           GluIleGluAsnTyrGlnAsnLysGlnArgGluValMetTrpGlnLeu                               335340345                                                                      TGTGCCATCAAAATTACAGAAGCTATACAGTATGTGGTGGAGTTTGCC1167                           CysAlaIleLysIleThrGluAlaIleGlnTyrValValGluPheAla                               350355360                                                                      AAACGCATTGATGGATTTATGGAACTGTGTCAAAATGATCAAATTGTG1215                           LysArgIleAspGlyPheMetGluLeuCysGlnAsnAspGlnIleVal                               365370375                                                                      CTTCTAAAAGCAGGTTCTCTAGAGGTGGTGTTTATCAGAATGTGCCGT1263                           LeuLeuLysAlaGlySerLeuGluValValPheIleArgMetCysArg                               380385390395                                                                   GCCTTTGACTCTCAGAACAACACCGTGTACTTTGATGGGAAGTATGCC1311                           AlaPheAspSerGlnAsnAsnThrValTyrPheAspGlyLysTyrAla                               400405410                                                                      AGCCCCGACGTCTTCAAATCCTTAGGTTGTGAAGACTTTATTAGCTTT1359                           SerProAspValPheLysSerLeuGlyCysGluAspPheIleSerPhe                               415420425                                                                      GTGTTTGAATTTGGAAAGAGTTTATGTTCTATGCACCTGACTGAAGAT1407                           ValPheGluPheGlyLysSerLeuCysSerMetHisLeuThrGluAsp                               430435440                                                                      GAAATTGCATTATTTTCTGCATTTGTACTGATGTCAGCAGATCGCTCA1455                           GluIleAlaLeuPheSerAlaPheValLeuMetSerAlaAspArgSer                               445450455                                                                      TGGCTGCAAGAAAAGGTAAAAATTGAAAAACTGCAACAGAAAATTCAG1503                           TrpLeuGlnGluLysValLysIleGluLysLeuGlnGlnLysIleGln                               460465470475                                                                   CTAGCTCTTCAACACGTCCTACAGAAGAATCACCGAGAAGATGGAATA1551                           LeuAlaLeuGlnHisValLeuGlnLysAsnHisArgGluAspGlyIle                               480485490                                                                      CTAACAAAGTTAATATGCAAGGTGTCTACATTAAGAGCCTTATGTGGA1599                           LeuThrLysLeuIleCysLysValSerThrLeuArgAlaLeuCysGly                               495500505                                                                      CGACATACAGAAAAGCTAATGGCATTTAAAGCAATATACCCAGACATT1647                           ArgHisThrGluLysLeuMetAlaPheLysAlaIleTyrProAspIle                               510515520                                                                      GTGCGACTTCATTTTCCTCCATTATACAAGGAGTTGTTCACTTCAGAA1695                           ValArgLeuHisPheProProLeuTyrLysGluLeuPheThrSerGlu                               525530535                                                                      TTTGAGCCAGCAATGCAAATTGATGGGTAAATGTTATCACCTAAGCA1742                            PheGluProAlaMetGlnIleAspGly                                                    540545                                                                         CTTCTAGAATGTCTGAAGTACAAACATGAAAAACAAACAAAAAAATTAACCGAGACACTT1802               TATATGGCCCTGCACAGACCTGGAGCGCCACACACTGCACATCTTTTGGTGATCGGGGTC1862               AGGCAAAGGAGGGGAAACAATGAAAACAAATAAAGTTGAACTTGTTTTTCTCAAAAAAAA1922               AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1952                                             (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:2:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 548 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:2:                                        MetAsnGluGlyAlaProGlyAspSerAspLeuGluThrGluAlaArg                               151015                                                                         ValProTrpSerIleMetGlyHisCysLeuArgThrGlyGlnAlaArg                               202530                                                                         MetSerAlaThrProThrProAlaGlyGluGlyAlaArgSerSerSer                               354045                                                                         ThrCysSerSerLeuSerArgLeuPheTrpSerGlnLeuGluHisIle                               505560                                                                         AsnTrpAspGlyAlaThrAlaLysAsnPheIleAsnLeuArgGluPhe                               65707580                                                                       PheSerPheLeuLeuProAlaLeuArgLysAlaGlnIleGluIleIle                               859095                                                                         ProCysLysIleCysGlyAspLysSerSerGlyIleHisTyrGlyVal                               100105110                                                                      IleThrCysGluGlyCysLysGlyPhePheArgArgSerGlnGlnSer                               115120125                                                                      AsnAlaThrTyrSerCysProArgGlnLysAsnCysLeuIleAspArg                               130135140                                                                      ThrSerArgAsnArgCysGlnHisCysArgLeuGlnLysCysLeuAla                               145150155160                                                                   ValGlyMetSerArgAspAlaValLysPheGlyArgMetSerLysLys                               165170175                                                                      GlnArgAspSerLeuTyrAlaGluValGlnLysHisArgMetGlnGln                               180185190                                                                      GlnGlnArgAspHisGlnGlnGlnProGlyGluAlaGluProLeuThr                               195200205                                                                      ProThrTyrAsnIleSerAlaAsnGlyLeuThrGluLeuHisAspAsp                               210215220                                                                      LeuSerAsnTyrIleAspGlyHisThrProGluGlySerLysAlaAsp                               225230235240                                                                   SerAlaValSerSerPheTyrLeuAspIleGlnProSerProAspGln                               245250255                                                                      SerGlyLeuAspIleAsnGlyIleLysProGluProIleCysAspTyr                               260265270                                                                      ThrProAlaSerGlyPhePheProTyrCysSerPheThrAsnGlyGlu                               275280285                                                                      ThrSerProThrValSerMetAlaGluLeuGluHisLeuAlaGlnAsn                               290295300                                                                      IleSerLysSerHisLeuGluThrCysGlnTyrLeuArgGluGluLeu                               305310315320                                                                   GlnGlnIleThrTrpGlnThrPheLeuGlnGluGluIleGluAsnTyr                               325330335                                                                      GlnAsnLysGlnArgGluValMetTrpGlnLeuCysAlaIleLysIle                               340345350                                                                      ThrGluAlaIleGlnTyrValValGluPheAlaLysArgIleAspGly                               355360365                                                                      PheMetGluLeuCysGlnAsnAspGlnIleValLeuLeuLysAlaGly                               370375380                                                                      SerLeuGluValValPheIleArgMetCysArgAlaPheAspSerGln                               385390395400                                                                   AsnAsnThrValTyrPheAspGlyLysTyrAlaSerProAspValPhe                               405410415                                                                      LysSerLeuGlyCysGluAspPheIleSerPheValPheGluPheGly                               420425430                                                                      LysSerLeuCysSerMetHisLeuThrGluAspGluIleAlaLeuPhe                               435440445                                                                      SerAlaPheValLeuMetSerAlaAspArgSerTrpLeuGlnGluLys                               450455460                                                                      ValLysIleGluLysLeuGlnGlnLysIleGlnLeuAlaLeuGlnHis                               465470475480                                                                   ValLeuGlnLysAsnHisArgGluAspGlyIleLeuThrLysLeuIle                               485490495                                                                      CysLysValSerThrLeuArgAlaLeuCysGlyArgHisThrGluLys                               500505510                                                                      LeuMetAlaPheLysAlaIleTyrProAspIleValArgLeuHisPhe                               515520525                                                                      ProProLeuTyrLysGluLeuPheThrSerGluPheGluProAlaMet                               530535540                                                                      GlnIleAspGly                                                                   545                                                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:3:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 386 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: AMINO TERMINAL PORTION OF XR1PRIME                                  (VERHT3.SEQ)                                                                   (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 90..386                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:3:                                        CCATCTGTCTGATCACCTTGGACTCCATAGTACACTGGGGCAAAGCACAGCCCCAGTTTC60                 TGGAGGCAGATGGGTAACCAGGAAAAGGCATGAATGAGGGGGCCCCAGGAGAC113                       MetAsnGluGlyAlaProGlyAsp                                                       15                                                                             AGTGACTTAGAGACTGAGGCAAGAGTGCCGTGGTCAATCATGGGTCAT161                            SerAspLeuGluThrGluAlaArgValProTrpSerIleMetGlyHis                               101520                                                                         TGTCTTCGAACTGGACAGGCCAGAATGTCTGCCACACCCACACCTGCA209                            CysLeuArgThrGlyGlnAlaArgMetSerAlaThrProThrProAla                               25303540                                                                       GGTGAAGGAGCCAGAAGGGATGAACTTTTTGGGATTCTCCAAATACTC257                            GlyGluGlyAlaArgArgAspGluLeuPheGlyIleLeuGlnIleLeu                               455055                                                                         CATCAGTGTATCCTGTCTTCAGGTGATGCTTTTGTTCTTACTGGCGTC305                            HisGlnCysIleLeuSerSerGlyAspAlaPheValLeuThrGlyVal                               606570                                                                         TGTTGTTCCTGGAGGCAGAATGGCAAGCCACCATATTCACAAAAGGAA353                            CysCysSerTrpArgGlnAsnGlyLysProProTyrSerGlnLysGlu                               758085                                                                         GATAAGGAAGTACAAACTGGATACATGAATGCT386                                           AspLysGluValGlnThrGlyTyrMetAsnAla                                              9095                                                                           (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:4:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 99 amino acids                                                     (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:4:                                        MetAsnGluGlyAlaProGlyAspSerAspLeuGluThrGluAlaArg                               151015                                                                         ValProTrpSerIleMetGlyHisCysLeuArgThrGlyGlnAlaArg                               202530                                                                         MetSerAlaThrProThrProAlaGlyGluGlyAlaArgArgAspGlu                               354045                                                                         LeuPheGlyIleLeuGlnIleLeuHisGlnCysIleLeuSerSerGly                               505560                                                                         AspAlaPheValLeuThrGlyValCysCysSerTrpArgGlnAsnGly                               65707580                                                                       LysProProTyrSerGlnLysGluAspLysGluValGlnThrGlyTyr                               859095                                                                         MetAsnAla                                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:5:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 300 base pairs                                                     (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: AMINO TERMINAL PORTION OF XR1PRIM2                                  (VERHT5.SEQ)                                                                   (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 103..300                                                         (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:5:                                        GTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTGGTACCATAGAGTTGCTCTGAAAACAGAAGATAGAGGGAGTCT60                 CGGAGCTCGCCATCTCCAGCGATCTCTACATTGGGAAAAAACATGGAGTCAGCT114                      MetGluSerAla                                                                   CCGGCAAGGGAGACCCCGCTGAACCAGGAATCCGCCGCCCCCGACCCC162                            ProAlaArgGluThrProLeuAsnGlnGluSerAlaAlaProAspPro                               5101520                                                                        GCCGCCAGCGAGCCAGGCAGCAGCGGCGCGGACGCGGCCGCCGGCTCC210                            AlaAlaSerGluProGlySerSerGlyAlaAspAlaAlaAlaGlySer                               253035                                                                         CGCAAGAGCGAGCCGCCTGCCCCGGTGCGCAGACAGAGCTATTCCAGC258                            ArgLysSerGluProProAlaProValArgArgGlnSerTyrSerSer                               404550                                                                         ACCAGCAGAGGTATCTCAGTAACGAAGAAGACACATACATCT300                                  ThrSerArgGlyIleSerValThrLysLysThrHisThrSer                                     556065                                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:6:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 66 amino acids                                                     (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:6:                                        MetGluSerAlaProAlaArgGluThrProLeuAsnGlnGluSerAla                               151015                                                                         AlaProAspProAlaAlaSerGluProGlySerSerGlyAlaAspAla                               202530                                                                         AlaAlaGlySerArgLysSerGluProProAlaProValArgArgGln                               354045                                                                         SerTyrSerSerThrSerArgGlyIleSerValThrLysLysThrHis                               505560                                                                         ThrSer                                                                         65                                                                             (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:7:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 1659 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: XR2 (XR2.SEG)                                                       (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 148..1470                                                        (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:7:                                        GATATCCGTGACATCATTGCCTGAGTCCACTGCAAAAAGCTGTCCCCAGAGCAGGAGGGC60                 AATGACAGCTCCCAGGGCACTCATCTTGACTGCTCTTGCCTGGGGATTTGGACAGTGCCT120                TGGTAATGACCAGGGCTCCAGAAAGAGATGTCCTTGTGGCTGGGGGCCCCT171                         MetSerLeuTrpLeuGlyAlaPro                                                       15                                                                             GTGCCTGACATTCCTCCTGACTCTGCGGTGGAGCTGTGGAAGCCAGGC219                            ValProAspIleProProAspSerAlaValGluLeuTrpLysProGly                               101520                                                                         GCACAGGATGCAAGCAGCCAGGCCCAGGGAGGCAGCAGCTGCATCCTC267                            AlaGlnAspAlaSerSerGlnAlaGlnGlyGlySerSerCysIleLeu                               25303540                                                                       AGAGAGGAAGCCAGGATGCCCCACTCTGCTGGGGGTACTGCAGAGCCC315                            ArgGluGluAlaArgMetProHisSerAlaGlyGlyThrAlaGluPro                               455055                                                                         ACAGCCCTGCTCACCAGGGCAGAGCCCCCTTCAGAACCCACAGAGATC363                            ThrAlaLeuLeuThrArgAlaGluProProSerGluProThrGluIle                               606570                                                                         CGTCCACAAAAGCGGAAAAAGGGGCCAGCCCCCAAAATGCTGGGGAAC411                            ArgProGlnLysArgLysLysGlyProAlaProLysMetLeuGlyAsn                               758085                                                                         GAGCTATGCAGCGTGTGTGGGGACAAGGCCTCGGGCTTCCACTACAAT459                            GluLeuCysSerValCysGlyAspLysAlaSerGlyPheHisTyrAsn                               9095100                                                                        GTTCTGAGCTGCGAGGGCTGCAAGGGATTCTTCCGCCGCAGCGTCATC507                            ValLeuSerCysGluGlyCysLysGlyPhePheArgArgSerValIle                               105110115120                                                                   AAGGGAGCGCACTACATCTGCCACAGTGGCGGCCACTGCCCCATGGAC555                            LysGlyAlaHisTyrIleCysHisSerGlyGlyHisCysProMetAsp                               125130135                                                                      ACCTACATGCGTCGCAAGTGCCAGGAGTGTCGGCTTCGCAAATGCCGT603                            ThrTyrMetArgArgLysCysGlnGluCysArgLeuArgLysCysArg                               140145150                                                                      CAGGCTGGCATGCGGGAGGAGTGTGTCCTGTCAGAAGAACAGATCCGC651                            GlnAlaGlyMetArgGluGluCysValLeuSerGluGluGlnIleArg                               155160165                                                                      CTGAAGAAACTGAAGCGGCAAGAGGAGGAACAGGCTCATGCCACATCC699                            LeuLysLysLeuLysArgGlnGluGluGluGlnAlaHisAlaThrSer                               170175180                                                                      TTGCCCCCCAGGCGTTCCTCACCCCCCCAAATCCTGCCCCAGCTCAGC747                            LeuProProArgArgSerSerProProGlnIleLeuProGlnLeuSer                               185190195200                                                                   CCGGAACAACTGGGCATGATCGAGAAGCTCGTCGCTGCCCAGCAACAG795                            ProGluGlnLeuGlyMetIleGluLysLeuValAlaAlaGlnGlnGln                               205210215                                                                      TGTAACCGGCGCTCCTTTTCTGACCGGCTTCGAGTCACGCCTTGGCCC843                            CysAsnArgArgSerPheSerAspArgLeuArgValThrProTrpPro                               220225230                                                                      ATGGCACCAGATCCCCATAGCCGGGAGGCCCGTCAGCAGCGCTTTGCC891                            MetAlaProAspProHisSerArgGluAlaArgGlnGlnArgPheAla                               235240245                                                                      CACTTCACTGAGCTGGCCATCGTCTCTGTGCAGGAGATAGTTGACTTT939                            HisPheThrGluLeuAlaIleValSerValGlnGluIleValAspPhe                               250255260                                                                      GCTAAACAGCTACCCGGCTTCCTGCAGCTCAGCCGGGAGGACCAGATT987                            AlaLysGlnLeuProGlyPheLeuGlnLeuSerArgGluAspGlnIle                               265270275280                                                                   GCCCTGCTGAAGACCTCTGCGATCGAGGTGATGCTTCTGGAGACATCT1035                           AlaLeuLeuLysThrSerAlaIleGluValMetLeuLeuGluThrSer                               285290295                                                                      CGGAGGTACAACCCTGGGAGTGAGAGTATCACCTTCCTCAAGGATTTC1083                           ArgArgTyrAsnProGlySerGluSerIleThrPheLeuLysAspPhe                               300305310                                                                      AGTTATAACCGGGAAGACTTTGCCAAAGCAGGGCTGCAAGTGGAATTC1131                           SerTyrAsnArgGluAspPheAlaLysAlaGlyLeuGlnValGluPhe                               315320325                                                                      ATCAACCCCATCTTCGAGTTCTCCAGGGCCATGAATGAGCTGCAACTC1179                           IleAsnProIlePheGluPheSerArgAlaMetAsnGluLeuGlnLeu                               330335340                                                                      AATGATGCCGAGTTTGCCTTGCTCATTGCTATCAGCATCTTCTCTGCA1227                           AsnAspAlaGluPheAlaLeuLeuIleAlaIleSerIlePheSerAla                               345350355360                                                                   GACCGGCCCAACGTGCAGGACCAGCTCCAGGTGGAGAGGCTGCAGCAC1275                           AspArgProAsnValGlnAspGlnLeuGlnValGluArgLeuGlnHis                               365370375                                                                      ACATATGTGGAAGCCCTGCATGCCTACGTCTCCATCCACCATCCCCAT1323                           ThrTyrValGluAlaLeuHisAlaTyrValSerIleHisHisProHis                               380385390                                                                      GACCGACTGATGTTCCCACGGATGCTAATGAAACTGGTGAGCCTCCGG1371                           AspArgLeuMetPheProArgMetLeuMetLysLeuValSerLeuArg                               395400405                                                                      ACCCTGAGCAGCGTCCACTCAGAGCAAGTGTTTGCACTGCGTCTGCAG1419                           ThrLeuSerSerValHisSerGluGlnValPheAlaLeuArgLeuGln                               410415420                                                                      GACAAAAAGCTCCCACCGCTGCTCTCTGAGATCTGGGATGTGCACGAA1467                           AspLysLysLeuProProLeuLeuSerGluIleTrpAspValHisGlu                               425430435440                                                                   TGACTGTTCTGTCCCCATATTTTCTGTTTTCTTGGCCGGATGGCTGAGGCCTGGTGGCTG1527               CCTCCTAGAAGTGGAACAGACTGAGAAGGGCAAACATTCCTGGGAGCTGGGCAAGGAGAT1587               CCTCCCGTGGCATTAAAAGAGAGTCAAAGGGTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1647               AAAAAGGAATTC1659                                                               (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:8:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 440 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:8:                                        MetSerLeuTrpLeuGlyAlaProValProAspIleProProAspSer                               151015                                                                         AlaValGluLeuTrpLysProGlyAlaGlnAspAlaSerSerGlnAla                               202530                                                                         GlnGlyGlySerSerCysIleLeuArgGluGluAlaArgMetProHis                               354045                                                                         SerAlaGlyGlyThrAlaGluProThrAlaLeuLeuThrArgAlaGlu                               505560                                                                         ProProSerGluProThrGluIleArgProGlnLysArgLysLysGly                               65707580                                                                       ProAlaProLysMetLeuGlyAsnGluLeuCysSerValCysGlyAsp                               859095                                                                         LysAlaSerGlyPheHisTyrAsnValLeuSerCysGluGlyCysLys                               100105110                                                                      GlyPhePheArgArgSerValIleLysGlyAlaHisTyrIleCysHis                               115120125                                                                      SerGlyGlyHisCysProMetAspThrTyrMetArgArgLysCysGln                               130135140                                                                      GluCysArgLeuArgLysCysArgGlnAlaGlyMetArgGluGluCys                               145150155160                                                                   ValLeuSerGluGluGlnIleArgLeuLysLysLeuLysArgGlnGlu                               165170175                                                                      GluGluGlnAlaHisAlaThrSerLeuProProArgArgSerSerPro                               180185190                                                                      ProGlnIleLeuProGlnLeuSerProGluGlnLeuGlyMetIleGlu                               195200205                                                                      LysLeuValAlaAlaGlnGlnGlnCysAsnArgArgSerPheSerAsp                               210215220                                                                      ArgLeuArgValThrProTrpProMetAlaProAspProHisSerArg                               225230235240                                                                   GluAlaArgGlnGlnArgPheAlaHisPheThrGluLeuAlaIleVal                               245250255                                                                      SerValGlnGluIleValAspPheAlaLysGlnLeuProGlyPheLeu                               260265270                                                                      GlnLeuSerArgGluAspGlnIleAlaLeuLeuLysThrSerAlaIle                               275280285                                                                      GluValMetLeuLeuGluThrSerArgArgTyrAsnProGlySerGlu                               290295300                                                                      SerIleThrPheLeuLysAspPheSerTyrAsnArgGluAspPheAla                               305310315320                                                                   LysAlaGlyLeuGlnValGluPheIleAsnProIlePheGluPheSer                               325330335                                                                      ArgAlaMetAsnGluLeuGlnLeuAsnAspAlaGluPheAlaLeuLeu                               340345350                                                                      IleAlaIleSerIlePheSerAlaAspArgProAsnValGlnAspGln                               355360365                                                                      LeuGlnValGluArgLeuGlnHisThrTyrValGluAlaLeuHisAla                               370375380                                                                      TyrValSerIleHisHisProHisAspArgLeuMetPheProArgMet                               385390395400                                                                   LeuMetLysLeuValSerLeuArgThrLeuSerSerValHisSerGlu                               405410415                                                                      GlnValPheAlaLeuArgLeuGlnAspLysLysLeuProProLeuLeu                               420425430                                                                      SerGluIleTrpAspValHisGlu                                                       435440                                                                         (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:9:                                               (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2009 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: XR4 (XR4.SEG)                                                       (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 263..1582                                                        (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:9:                                        GAATTCCCTGGGGATTAATGGGAAAAGTTTTGGCAGGAGCTGGGGGATTCTGCGGAGCCT60                 GCGGGACGGCGGCAGCGGCGCGAGAGGCGGCCGGGACAGTGCTGTGCAGCGGTGTGGGTA120                TGCGCATGGGACTCACTCAGAGGCTCCTGCTCACTGACAGATGAAGACAAACCCACGGTA180                AAGGCAGTCCATCTGCGCTCAGACCCAGATGGTGGCAGAGCTATGACCAGGCCTGCAGCG240                CCACGCCAAGTGGGGGTCAGTCATGGAACAGCCACAGGAGGAGACCCCTGAG292                        MetGluGlnProGlnGluGluThrProGlu                                                 1510                                                                           GCCCGGGAAGAGGAGAAAGAGGAAGTGGCCATGGGTGACGGAGCCCCG340                            AlaArgGluGluGluLysGluGluValAlaMetGlyAspGlyAlaPro                               152025                                                                         GAGCTCAATGGGGGACCAGAACACACGCTTCCTTCCAGCAGCTGTGCA388                            GluLeuAsnGlyGlyProGluHisThrLeuProSerSerSerCysAla                               303540                                                                         GACCTCTCCCAGAATTCCTCCCCTTCCTCCCTGCTGGACCAGCTGCAG436                            AspLeuSerGlnAsnSerSerProSerSerLeuLeuAspGlnLeuGln                               455055                                                                         ATGGGCTGTGATGGGGCCTCAGGCGGCAGCCTCAACATGGAATGTCGG484                            MetGlyCysAspGlyAlaSerGlyGlySerLeuAsnMetGluCysArg                               606570                                                                         GTGTGCGGGGACAAGGCCTCGGGCTTCCACTACGGGGTCCACGCGTGC532                            ValCysGlyAspLysAlaSerGlyPheHisTyrGlyValHisAlaCys                               75808590                                                                       GAGGGGTGCAAGGGCTTCTTCCGCCGGACAATCCGCATGAAGCTCGAG580                            GluGlyCysLysGlyPhePheArgArgThrIleArgMetLysLeuGlu                               95100105                                                                       TATGAGAAGTGCGATCGGATCTGCAAGATCCAGAAGAAGAACCGCAAC628                            TyrGluLysCysAspArgIleCysLysIleGlnLysLysAsnArgAsn                               110115120                                                                      AAGTGTCAGTACTGCCGCTTCCAGAAGTGCCTGGCACTCGGCATGTCG676                            LysCysGlnTyrCysArgPheGlnLysCysLeuAlaLeuGlyMetSer                               125130135                                                                      CACAACGCTATCCGCTTTGGACGGATGCCGGACGGCGAGAAGAGGAAG724                            HisAsnAlaIleArgPheGlyArgMetProAspGlyGluLysArgLys                               140145150                                                                      CTGGTGGCGGGGCTGACTGCCAGCGAGGGGTGCCAGCACAACCCCCAG772                            LeuValAlaGlyLeuThrAlaSerGluGlyCysGlnHisAsnProGln                               155160165170                                                                   CTGGCCGACCTGAAGGCCTTCTCTAAGCACATCTACAACGCCTACCTG820                            LeuAlaAspLeuLysAlaPheSerLysHisIleTyrAsnAlaTyrLeu                               175180185                                                                      AAAAACTTCAACATGACCAAAAAGAAGGCCCGGAGCATCCTCACCGGC868                            LysAsnPheAsnMetThrLysLysLysAlaArgSerIleLeuThrGly                               190195200                                                                      AAGTCCAGCCACAACGCACCCTTTGTCATCCACGACATCGAGACACTG916                            LysSerSerHisAsnAlaProPheValIleHisAspIleGluThrLeu                               205210215                                                                      TGGCAGGCAGAGAAGGGCCTGGTGTGGAAACAGCTGGTGAACGTGCCG964                            TrpGlnAlaGluLysGlyLeuValTrpLysGlnLeuValAsnValPro                               220225230                                                                      CCCTACAACGAGATCAGTGTGCACGTGTTCTACCGCTGCCAGTCCACC1012                           ProTyrAsnGluIleSerValHisValPheTyrArgCysGlnSerThr                               235240245250                                                                   ACAGTGGAGACAGTCCGAGAGCTCACCGAGTTCGCCAAGAACATCCCC1060                           ThrValGluThrValArgGluLeuThrGluPheAlaLysAsnIlePro                               255260265                                                                      AACTTCAGCAGCCTCTTCCTCAATGACCAGGTGACCCTCCTCAAGTAT1108                           AsnPheSerSerLeuPheLeuAsnAspGlnValThrLeuLeuLysTyr                               270275280                                                                      GGCGTGCACGAGGCCATCTTTGCCATGCTGGCCTCCATCGTCAACAAA1156                           GlyValHisGluAlaIlePheAlaMetLeuAlaSerIleValAsnLys                               285290295                                                                      GACGGGCTGCTGGTGGCCAACGGCAGTGGCTTCGTCACCCACGAGTTC1204                           AspGlyLeuLeuValAlaAsnGlySerGlyPheValThrHisGluPhe                               300305310                                                                      TTGCGAAGTCTCCGCAAGCCCTTCAGTGACATCATTGAGCCCAAGTTC1252                           LeuArgSerLeuArgLysProPheSerAspIleIleGluProLysPhe                               315320325330                                                                   GAGTTTGCTGTCAAGTTCAATGCGCTGGAGCTCGATGACAGTGACCTG1300                           GluPheAlaValLysPheAsnAlaLeuGluLeuAspAspSerAspLeu                               335340345                                                                      GCGCTCTTCATCGCGGCCATCATTCTGTGTGGAGACCGGCCAGGCCTC1348                           AlaLeuPheIleAlaAlaIleIleLeuCysGlyAspArgProGlyLeu                               350355360                                                                      ATGAATGTGCCCCAGGTAGAAGCCATCCAGGACACCATTCTGCGGGCT1396                           MetAsnValProGlnValGluAlaIleGlnAspThrIleLeuArgAla                               365370375                                                                      CTAGAATTCCATCTGCAGGTCAACCACCCTGACAGCCAGTACCTCTTC1444                           LeuGluPheHisLeuGlnValAsnHisProAspSerGlnTyrLeuPhe                               380385390                                                                      CCCAAGCTGCTGCAGAAGATGGCAGACCTGCGGCACGTGGTCACTGAG1492                           ProLysLeuLeuGlnLysMetAlaAspLeuArgHisValValThrGlu                               395400405410                                                                   CATGCCCAGATGATGCAGTGGCTAAAGAAGACGGAGAGTGAGACCTTG1540                           HisAlaGlnMetMetGlnTrpLeuLysLysThrGluSerGluThrLeu                               415420425                                                                      CTGCACCCCCTGCTCCAGGAAATCTACAAGGACATGTACTAAGGCCGCA1589                          LeuHisProLeuLeuGlnGluIleTyrLysAspMetTyr                                        430435440                                                                      GCCCAGGCCTCCCCTCAGGCTCTGCTGGGCCCAGCCACGGACTGTTCAGAGGACCAGCCA1649               CAGGCACTGGCAGTCAAGCAGCTAGAGCCTACTCACAACACTCCAGACACGTGGCCCAGA1709               CTCTTCCCCCAACACCCCCACCCCCACCAACCCCCCCATTCCCCCAACCCCCCTCCCCCA1769               CCCCGCTCTCCCCATGGCCCGTTTCCTGTTTCTCCTCAGCACCTCCTGTTCTTGCTGTCT1829               CCCTAGCGCCCTTGCTCCCCCCCCTTTGCCTTCCTTCTCTAGCATCCCCCTCCTCCCAGT1889               CCTCACATTTGTCTGATTCACAGCAGACAGCCCGTTGGTACGCTCACCAGCAGCCTAAAA1949               GCAGTGGGCCTGTGCTGGCCCAGTCCTGCCTCTCCTCTCTATCCCCTTCAAAGGGAATTC2009               (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:10:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 439 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:10:                                       MetGluGlnProGlnGluGluThrProGluAlaArgGluGluGluLys                               151015                                                                         GluGluValAlaMetGlyAspGlyAlaProGluLeuAsnGlyGlyPro                               202530                                                                         GluHisThrLeuProSerSerSerCysAlaAspLeuSerGlnAsnSer                               354045                                                                         SerProSerSerLeuLeuAspGlnLeuGlnMetGlyCysAspGlyAla                               505560                                                                         SerGlyGlySerLeuAsnMetGluCysArgValCysGlyAspLysAla                               65707580                                                                       SerGlyPheHisTyrGlyValHisAlaCysGluGlyCysLysGlyPhe                               859095                                                                         PheArgArgThrIleArgMetLysLeuGluTyrGluLysCysAspArg                               100105110                                                                      IleCysLysIleGlnLysLysAsnArgAsnLysCysGlnTyrCysArg                               115120125                                                                      PheGlnLysCysLeuAlaLeuGlyMetSerHisAsnAlaIleArgPhe                               130135140                                                                      GlyArgMetProAspGlyGluLysArgLysLeuValAlaGlyLeuThr                               145150155160                                                                   AlaSerGluGlyCysGlnHisAsnProGlnLeuAlaAspLeuLysAla                               165170175                                                                      PheSerLysHisIleTyrAsnAlaTyrLeuLysAsnPheAsnMetThr                               180185190                                                                      LysLysLysAlaArgSerIleLeuThrGlyLysSerSerHisAsnAla                               195200205                                                                      ProPheValIleHisAspIleGluThrLeuTrpGlnAlaGluLysGly                               210215220                                                                      LeuValTrpLysGlnLeuValAsnValProProTyrAsnGluIleSer                               225230235240                                                                   ValHisValPheTyrArgCysGlnSerThrThrValGluThrValArg                               245250255                                                                      GluLeuThrGluPheAlaLysAsnIleProAsnPheSerSerLeuPhe                               260265270                                                                      LeuAsnAspGlnValThrLeuLeuLysTyrGlyValHisGluAlaIle                               275280285                                                                      PheAlaMetLeuAlaSerIleValAsnLysAspGlyLeuLeuValAla                               290295300                                                                      AsnGlySerGlyPheValThrHisGluPheLeuArgSerLeuArgLys                               305310315320                                                                   ProPheSerAspIleIleGluProLysPheGluPheAlaValLysPhe                               325330335                                                                      AsnAlaLeuGluLeuAspAspSerAspLeuAlaLeuPheIleAlaAla                               340345350                                                                      IleIleLeuCysGlyAspArgProGlyLeuMetAsnValProGlnVal                               355360365                                                                      GluAlaIleGlnAspThrIleLeuArgAlaLeuGluPheHisLeuGln                               370375380                                                                      ValAsnHisProAspSerGlnTyrLeuPheProLysLeuLeuGlnLys                               385390395400                                                                   MetAlaAspLeuArgHisValValThrGluHisAlaGlnMetMetGln                               405410415                                                                      TrpLeuLysLysThrGluSerGluThrLeuLeuHisProLeuLeuGln                               420425430                                                                      GluIleTyrLysAspMetTyr                                                          435                                                                            (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:11:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2468 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: XR5 (XR5.SEG)                                                       (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 1..1677                                                          (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:11:                                       GAATTCCGGCGCGGAGGGGCGCGGCGCGAGGGGCCGGAGCCGGGCGGC48                             GluPheArgArgGlyGlyAlaArgArgGluGlyProGluProGlyGly                               151015                                                                         TCAGGGGCCCAGAGAGTGCGGCGGCCGAGAGCCTGCCGGCCCCTGACA96                             SerGlyAlaGlnArgValArgArgProArgAlaCysArgProLeuThr                               202530                                                                         GCCCCCTCCCCCCGTGGAAGACCAGGACGACGACTACGAAGGCGCAAG144                            AlaProSerProArgGlyArgProGlyArgArgLeuArgArgArgLys                               354045                                                                         TCATGGCGGAGCAGCGAACGCCGAGAGGGCCCTGAGCACCGCCGCATG192                            SerTrpArgSerSerGluArgArgGluGlyProGluHisArgArgMet                               505560                                                                         GAGCGGGACGAACGGCCACCTAGCGGAGGGGGAGGCGGCGGGGGCTCG240                            GluArgAspGluArgProProSerGlyGlyGlyGlyGlyGlyGlySer                               65707580                                                                       GCGGGGTTCCTGGAGCCGCCCGCCGCGCTCCCTCCGCCGCCGCGCAAC288                            AlaGlyPheLeuGluProProAlaAlaLeuProProProProArgAsn                               859095                                                                         GGTTTCTGTCAGGATGAATTGGCAGAGCTTGATCCAGGCACTAATGGA336                            GlyPheCysGlnAspGluLeuAlaGluLeuAspProGlyThrAsnGly                               100105110                                                                      GAGACTGACAGTTTAACACTTGGCCAAGGCCATATACCTGTTTCCGTC384                            GluThrAspSerLeuThrLeuGlyGlnGlyHisIleProValSerVal                               115120125                                                                      CCAGATGATCGAGCTGAACAACGAACCTGTCTCATCTGTGGGGACCGC432                            ProAspAspArgAlaGluGlnArgThrCysLeuIleCysGlyAspArg                               130135140                                                                      GCTACGGGCTTGCACTATGGGATCATCTCCTGCGAGGGCTGCAAGGGG480                            AlaThrGlyLeuHisTyrGlyIleIleSerCysGluGlyCysLysGly                               145150155160                                                                   TTTTTCAAGAGGAGCATTTGCAACAAACGGGTGTATCGGTGCAGTCGT528                            PhePheLysArgSerIleCysAsnLysArgValTyrArgCysSerArg                               165170175                                                                      GACAAGAACTGTGTCATGTCCCGGAAGCAGAGGAACAGATGTCAGTAC576                            AspLysAsnCysValMetSerArgLysGlnArgAsnArgCysGlnTyr                               180185190                                                                      TGCCGCCTGCTCAAGTGTCTCCAGATGGGCATGAACAGGAAGGCTATC624                            CysArgLeuLeuLysCysLeuGlnMetGlyMetAsnArgLysAlaIle                               195200205                                                                      AGAGAAGATGGCATGCCTGGAGGCCGGAACAAGAGCATTGGACCAGTC672                            ArgGluAspGlyMetProGlyGlyArgAsnLysSerIleGlyProVal                               210215220                                                                      CAGATATCAGAAGAAGAAATTGAAAGAATCATGTCTGGACAGGAGTTT720                            GlnIleSerGluGluGluIleGluArgIleMetSerGlyGlnGluPhe                               225230235240                                                                   GAGGAAGAAGCCAATCACTGGAGCAACCATGGTGACAGCGACCACAGT768                            GluGluGluAlaAsnHisTrpSerAsnHisGlyAspSerAspHisSer                               245250255                                                                      TCCCCTGGGAACAGGGCTTCAGAGAGCAACCAGCCCTCACCAGGCTCC816                            SerProGlyAsnArgAlaSerGluSerAsnGlnProSerProGlySer                               260265270                                                                      ACACTATCATCCAGTAGGTCTGTGGAACTAAATGGATTCATGGCATTC864                            ThrLeuSerSerSerArgSerValGluLeuAsnGlyPheMetAlaPhe                               275280285                                                                      AGGGATCAGTACATGGGGATGTCAGTGCCTCCACATTATCAATACATA912                            ArgAspGlnTyrMetGlyMetSerValProProHisTyrGlnTyrIle                               290295300                                                                      CCACACCTTTTTAGCTATTCTGGCCACTCACCACTTTTGCCCCCACAA960                            ProHisLeuPheSerTyrSerGlyHisSerProLeuLeuProProGln                               305310315320                                                                   GCTCGAAGCCTGGACCCTCAGTCCTACAGTCTGATTCATCAGCTGATG1008                           AlaArgSerLeuAspProGlnSerTyrSerLeuIleHisGlnLeuMet                               325330335                                                                      TCAGCCGAAGACCTGGAGCCATTGGGCACACCTATGTTGATTGAAGAT1056                           SerAlaGluAspLeuGluProLeuGlyThrProMetLeuIleGluAsp                               340345350                                                                      GGGTATGCTGTGACACAGGCAGAACTGTTTGCTCTGCTTTGCCGCCTG1104                           GlyTyrAlaValThrGlnAlaGluLeuPheAlaLeuLeuCysArgLeu                               355360365                                                                      GCCGACGAGTTGCTCTTTAGGCAGATTGCCTGGATCAAGAAGCTGCCT1152                           AlaAspGluLeuLeuPheArgGlnIleAlaTrpIleLysLysLeuPro                               370375380                                                                      TTCTTCTGCGAGCTCTCAATCAAGGATTACACGTGCCTCTTGAGCTCT1200                           PhePheCysGluLeuSerIleLysAspTyrThrCysLeuLeuSerSer                               385390395400                                                                   ACGTGGCAGGAGTTAATCCTGCTCTCCTCCCTCACAGTGTACAGCAAG1248                           ThrTrpGlnGluLeuIleLeuLeuSerSerLeuThrValTyrSerLys                               405410415                                                                      CAGATCTTTGGGGAGCTGGCTGATGTCACAGCCAAGTACTCACCCTCT1296                           GlnIlePheGlyGluLeuAlaAspValThrAlaLysTyrSerProSer                               420425430                                                                      GATGAAGAACTCCACAGATTTAGTGATGAAGGGATGGAGGTGATTGAA1344                           AspGluGluLeuHisArgPheSerAspGluGlyMetGluValIleGlu                               435440445                                                                      CGACTCATCTACCTATATCACAAGTTCCATCAGCTGAAGGTCAGCAAC1392                           ArgLeuIleTyrLeuTyrHisLysPheHisGlnLeuLysValSerAsn                               450455460                                                                      GAGGAGTACGCATGCATGAAAGCAATTAACTTCCTGAATCAAGATATC1440                           GluGluTyrAlaCysMetLysAlaIleAsnPheLeuAsnGlnAspIle                               465470475480                                                                   AGGGGTCTGACCAGTGCCTCACAGCTGGAACAACTGAACAAGCGGTAT1488                           ArgGlyLeuThrSerAlaSerGlnLeuGluGlnLeuAsnLysArgTyr                               485490495                                                                      TGGTACATTTGTCAGGATTTCACTGAATATAAATACACACATCAGCCA1536                           TrpTyrIleCysGlnAspPheThrGluTyrLysTyrThrHisGlnPro                               500505510                                                                      AACCGCTTTCCTGATCTTATGATGTGCTTGCCAGAGATCCGATACATC1584                           AsnArgPheProAspLeuMetMetCysLeuProGluIleArgTyrIle                               515520525                                                                      GCAGGCAAGATGGTGAATGTGCCCCTGGAGCAGCTGCCCCTCCTCTTT1632                           AlaGlyLysMetValAsnValProLeuGluGlnLeuProLeuLeuPhe                               530535540                                                                      AAGGTGGTGCTGCACTCCTGCAAGACAAGTACGGTGAAGGAGTGACCTGTGC1684                       LysValValLeuHisSerCysLysThrSerThrValLysGlu                                     545550555                                                                      CCTGCACCTCCTTGGGCCACCCACAGTGCCTTGGGTAGGCAGCACAGGCTCCAGAGGAAA1744               GAGCCAGAGACCAAGATGGAGACTGTGGAGCAGCTACCTCCATCACAAGAAGAATTTGTT1804               TGTTTGTCTGTTTTTAACCTCATTTTTCTATATATTTATTTCACGACAGAGTTGAATGTA1864               TGGCCTTCAACATGATGCACATGCTTTTGTGTGAATGCAGCAGATGCATTTCCTTGCAGT1924               TTACAGAATGTGAAGATGTTTAATGTTACCGTGTTGTCATTGTTTAGAGATAGGTTTTTT1984               TGTATTTTGATGGAGAGGGTAGGATGGACTAGATGAGTATTTCCATAATGTTGACAAAGA2044               CAACTACCTCAATGGAAACAGGTGTATGACCATCCCTACCTTTTTCCACATTTTCTCAGC2104               AGATACACACTTGTCTGTTAGAGAGCAAACTGCCTTTTTTATAGCCACAGACTTCTAAGT2164               AAAAGAAGCAAACAAAGGAGCGAAGTGGTATAGGGAGATTTACTAATGGCCAGTTGGGAC2224               ATCTGAGAGGCAATTTGATTTTGATCATCTCATCCCACAAGCCTGAAGGCAGAAACTCTG2284               CCTTACCTTCTGCTGCACCCCTCCCCCCCCCCACACGCTGTTGTCTGTTGATGCTGCTGT2344               CAAGTTTTCATCCAGGTAGAGTCCTAACAATAAGCCAGTATGTAGGACTTGCCTCCCAGC2404               GCCCTTGTAGCTCATAGCTGCCTAGTTTGCTGTTCTAGATCTACCAAGGCCTACTTCGGA2464               ATTC2468                                                                       (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:12:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 558 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:12:                                       GluPheArgArgGlyGlyAlaArgArgGluGlyProGluProGlyGly                               151015                                                                         SerGlyAlaGlnArgValArgArgProArgAlaCysArgProLeuThr                               202530                                                                         AlaProSerProArgGlyArgProGlyArgArgLeuArgArgArgLys                               354045                                                                         SerTrpArgSerSerGluArgArgGluGlyProGluHisArgArgMet                               505560                                                                         GluArgAspGluArgProProSerGlyGlyGlyGlyGlyGlyGlySer                               65707580                                                                       AlaGlyPheLeuGluProProAlaAlaLeuProProProProArgAsn                               859095                                                                         GlyPheCysGlnAspGluLeuAlaGluLeuAspProGlyThrAsnGly                               100105110                                                                      GluThrAspSerLeuThrLeuGlyGlnGlyHisIleProValSerVal                               115120125                                                                      ProAspAspArgAlaGluGlnArgThrCysLeuIleCysGlyAspArg                               130135140                                                                      AlaThrGlyLeuHisTyrGlyIleIleSerCysGluGlyCysLysGly                               145150155160                                                                   PhePheLysArgSerIleCysAsnLysArgValTyrArgCysSerArg                               165170175                                                                      AspLysAsnCysValMetSerArgLysGlnArgAsnArgCysGlnTyr                               180185190                                                                      CysArgLeuLeuLysCysLeuGlnMetGlyMetAsnArgLysAlaIle                               195200205                                                                      ArgGluAspGlyMetProGlyGlyArgAsnLysSerIleGlyProVal                               210215220                                                                      GlnIleSerGluGluGluIleGluArgIleMetSerGlyGlnGluPhe                               225230235240                                                                   GluGluGluAlaAsnHisTrpSerAsnHisGlyAspSerAspHisSer                               245250255                                                                      SerProGlyAsnArgAlaSerGluSerAsnGlnProSerProGlySer                               260265270                                                                      ThrLeuSerSerSerArgSerValGluLeuAsnGlyPheMetAlaPhe                               275280285                                                                      ArgAspGlnTyrMetGlyMetSerValProProHisTyrGlnTyrIle                               290295300                                                                      ProHisLeuPheSerTyrSerGlyHisSerProLeuLeuProProGln                               305310315320                                                                   AlaArgSerLeuAspProGlnSerTyrSerLeuIleHisGlnLeuMet                               325330335                                                                      SerAlaGluAspLeuGluProLeuGlyThrProMetLeuIleGluAsp                               340345350                                                                      GlyTyrAlaValThrGlnAlaGluLeuPheAlaLeuLeuCysArgLeu                               355360365                                                                      AlaAspGluLeuLeuPheArgGlnIleAlaTrpIleLysLysLeuPro                               370375380                                                                      PhePheCysGluLeuSerIleLysAspTyrThrCysLeuLeuSerSer                               385390395400                                                                   ThrTrpGlnGluLeuIleLeuLeuSerSerLeuThrValTyrSerLys                               405410415                                                                      GlnIlePheGlyGluLeuAlaAspValThrAlaLysTyrSerProSer                               420425430                                                                      AspGluGluLeuHisArgPheSerAspGluGlyMetGluValIleGlu                               435440445                                                                      ArgLeuIleTyrLeuTyrHisLysPheHisGlnLeuLysValSerAsn                               450455460                                                                      GluGluTyrAlaCysMetLysAlaIleAsnPheLeuAsnGlnAspIle                               465470475480                                                                   ArgGlyLeuThrSerAlaSerGlnLeuGluGlnLeuAsnLysArgTyr                               485490495                                                                      TrpTyrIleCysGlnAspPheThrGluTyrLysTyrThrHisGlnPro                               500505510                                                                      AsnArgPheProAspLeuMetMetCysLeuProGluIleArgTyrIle                               515520525                                                                      AlaGlyLysMetValAsnValProLeuGluGlnLeuProLeuLeuPhe                               530535540                                                                      LysValValLeuHisSerCysLysThrSerThrValLysGlu                                     545550555                                                                      (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:13:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 2315 base pairs                                                    (B) TYPE: nucleic acid                                                         (C) STRANDEDNESS: single                                                       (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA                                                       (vii) IMMEDIATE SOURCE:                                                        (B) CLONE: XR79 (XR79.SEQ)                                                     (ix) FEATURE:                                                                  (A) NAME/KEY: CDS                                                              (B) LOCATION: 204..2009                                                        (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:13:                                       GCGTTAGAAAAGGTTCAAAATAGGCACAAAGTCGTGAAAATATCGTAACTGACCGGAAGT60                 AACATAACTTTAACCAAGTGCCTCGAAAAATAGATGTTTTTAAAAGCTCAAGAATGGTGA120                TAACAGACGTCCAATAAGAATTTTCAAAGAGCCAATTATTTATACAGCCGACGACTATTT180                TTTAGCCGCCTGCTGTGGCGACAATGGACGGCGTTAAGGTTGAGACGTTC230                          MetAspGlyValLysValGluThrPhe                                                    15                                                                             ATCAAAAGCGAAGAAAACCGAGCGATGCCCTTGATCGGAGGAGGCAGT278                            IleLysSerGluGluAsnArgAlaMetProLeuIleGlyGlyGlySer                               10152025                                                                       GCCTCAGGCGGCACTCCTCTGCCAGGAGGCGGCGTGGGAATGGGAGCC326                            AlaSerGlyGlyThrProLeuProGlyGlyGlyValGlyMetGlyAla                               303540                                                                         GGAGCATCCGCAACGTTGAGCGTGGAGCTGTGTTTGGTGTGCGGGGAC374                            GlyAlaSerAlaThrLeuSerValGluLeuCysLeuValCysGlyAsp                               455055                                                                         CGCGCCTCCGGGCGGCACTACGGAGCCATAAGCTGCGAAGGCTGCAAG422                            ArgAlaSerGlyArgHisTyrGlyAlaIleSerCysGluGlyCysLys                               606570                                                                         GGATTCTTCAAGCGCTCGATCCGGAAGCAGCTGGGCTACCAGTGTCGC470                            GlyPhePheLysArgSerIleArgLysGlnLeuGlyTyrGlnCysArg                               758085                                                                         GGGGCTATGAACTGCGAGGTCACCAAGCACCACAGGAATCGGTGCCAG518                            GlyAlaMetAsnCysGluValThrLysHisHisArgAsnArgCysGln                               9095100105                                                                     TTCTGTCGACTACAGAAGTGCCTGGCCAGCGGCATGCGAAGTGATTCT566                            PheCysArgLeuGlnLysCysLeuAlaSerGlyMetArgSerAspSer                               110115120                                                                      GTGCAGCACGAGAGGAAACCGATTGTGGACAGGAAGGAGGGGATCATC614                            ValGlnHisGluArgLysProIleValAspArgLysGluGlyIleIle                               125130135                                                                      GCTGCTGCCGGTAGCTCATCCACTTCTGGCGGCGGTAATGGCTCGTCC662                            AlaAlaAlaGlySerSerSerThrSerGlyGlyGlyAsnGlySerSer                               140145150                                                                      ACCTACCTATCCGGCAAGTCCGGCTATCAGCAGGGGCGTGGCAAGGGG710                            ThrTyrLeuSerGlyLysSerGlyTyrGlnGlnGlyArgGlyLysGly                               155160165                                                                      CACAGTGTAAAGGCCGAATCCGCGCCACGCCTCCAGTGCACAGCGCGC758                            HisSerValLysAlaGluSerAlaProArgLeuGlnCysThrAlaArg                               170175180185                                                                   CAGCAACGGGCCTTCAATTTGAATGCAGAATATATTCCGATGGGTTTG806                            GlnGlnArgAlaPheAsnLeuAsnAlaGluTyrIleProMetGlyLeu                               190195200                                                                      AATTTCGCAGAACTAACGCAGACATTGATGTTCGCTACCCAACAGCAG854                            AsnPheAlaGluLeuThrGlnThrLeuMetPheAlaThrGlnGlnGln                               205210215                                                                      CAGCAACAACAGCAACAGCATCAACAGAGTGGTAGCTATTCGCCAGAT902                            GlnGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnHisGlnGlnSerGlySerTyrSerProAsp                               220225230                                                                      ATTCCGAAGGCAGATCCCGAGGATGACGAGGACGACTCAATGGACAAC950                            IleProLysAlaAspProGluAspAspGluAspAspSerMetAspAsn                               235240245                                                                      AGCAGCACGCTGTGCTTGCAGTTGCTCGCCAACAGCGCCAGCAACAAC998                            SerSerThrLeuCysLeuGlnLeuLeuAlaAsnSerAlaSerAsnAsn                               250255260265                                                                   AACTCGCAGCACCTGAACTTTAATGCTGGGGAAGTACCCACCGCTCTG1046                           AsnSerGlnHisLeuAsnPheAsnAlaGlyGluValProThrAlaLeu                               270275280                                                                      CCTACCACCTCGACAATGGGGCTTATTCAGAGTTCGCTGGACATGCGG1094                           ProThrThrSerThrMetGlyLeuIleGlnSerSerLeuAspMetArg                               285290295                                                                      GTCATCCACAAGGGACTGCAGATCCTGCAGCCCATCCAAAACCAACTG1142                           ValIleHisLysGlyLeuGlnIleLeuGlnProIleGlnAsnGlnLeu                               300305310                                                                      GAGCGAAATGGTAATCTGAGTGTGAAGCCCGAGTGCGATTCAGAGGCG1190                           GluArgAsnGlyAsnLeuSerValLysProGluCysAspSerGluAla                               315320325                                                                      GAGGACAGTGGCACCGAGGATGCCGTAGACGCGGAGCTGGAGCACATG1238                           GluAspSerGlyThrGluAspAlaValAspAlaGluLeuGluHisMet                               330335340345                                                                   GAACTAGACTTTGAGTGCGGTGGGAACCGAAGCGGTGGAAGCGATTTT1286                           GluLeuAspPheGluCysGlyGlyAsnArgSerGlyGlySerAspPhe                               350355360                                                                      GCTATCAATGAGGCGGTCTTTGAACAGGATCTTCTCACCGATGTGCAG1334                           AlaIleAsnGluAlaValPheGluGlnAspLeuLeuThrAspValGln                               365370375                                                                      TGTGCCTTTCATGTGCAACCGCCGACTTTGGTCCACTCGTATTTAAAT1382                           CysAlaPheHisValGlnProProThrLeuValHisSerTyrLeuAsn                               380385390                                                                      ATTCATTATGTGTGTGAGACGGGCTCGCGAATCATTTTTCTCACCATC1430                           IleHisTyrValCysGluThrGlySerArgIleIlePheLeuThrIle                               395400405                                                                      CATACCCTTCGAAAGGTTCCAGTTTTCGAACAATTGGAAGCCCATACA1478                           HisThrLeuArgLysValProValPheGluGlnLeuGluAlaHisThr                               410415420425                                                                   CAGGTGAAACTCCTGAGAGGAGTGTGGCCAGCATTAATGGCTATAGCT1526                           GlnValLysLeuLeuArgGlyValTrpProAlaLeuMetAlaIleAla                               430435440                                                                      TTGGCGCAGTGTCAGGGTCAGCTTTCGGTGCCCACCATTATCGGGCAG1574                           LeuAlaGlnCysGlnGlyGlnLeuSerValProThrIleIleGlyGln                               445450455                                                                      TTTATTCAAAGCACTCGCCAGCTAGCGGATATCGATAAGATCGAACCG1622                           PheIleGlnSerThrArgGlnLeuAlaAspIleAspLysIleGluPro                               460465470                                                                      TTGAAGATCTCGAAGATGGCAAATCTCACCAGGACCCTGCACGACTTT1670                           LeuLysIleSerLysMetAlaAsnLeuThrArgThrLeuHisAspPhe                               475480485                                                                      GTCCAGGAGCTCCAGTCACTGGATGTTACTGATATGGAGTTTGGCTTG1718                           ValGlnGluLeuGlnSerLeuAspValThrAspMetGluPheGlyLeu                               490495500505                                                                   CTGCGTCTGATCTTGCTCTTCAATCCAACGCTCTTCCAGCATCGCAAG1766                           LeuArgLeuIleLeuLeuPheAsnProThrLeuPheGlnHisArgLys                               510515520                                                                      GAGCGGTCGTTGCGAGGCTACGTCCGCAGAGTCCAACTCTACGCTCTG1814                           GluArgSerLeuArgGlyTyrValArgArgValGlnLeuTyrAlaLeu                               525530535                                                                      TCAAGTTTGAGAAGGCAGGGTGGCATCGGCGGCGGCGAGGAGCGCTTT1862                           SerSerLeuArgArgGlnGlyGlyIleGlyGlyGlyGluGluArgPhe                               540545550                                                                      AATGTTCTGGTGGCTCGCCTTCTTCCGCTCAGCAGCCTGGACGCAGAG1910                           AsnValLeuValAlaArgLeuLeuProLeuSerSerLeuAspAlaGlu                               555560565                                                                      GCCATGGAGGAGCTGTTCTTCGCCAACTTGGTGGGGCAGATGCAGATG1958                           AlaMetGluGluLeuPhePheAlaAsnLeuValGlyGlnMetGlnMet                               570575580585                                                                   GATGCTCTTATTCCGTTCATACTGATGACCAGCAACACCAGTGGACTG2006                           AspAlaLeuIleProPheIleLeuMetThrSerAsnThrSerGlyLeu                               590595600                                                                      TAGGCGGAATTGAGAAGAACAGGGCGCAAGCAGATTCGCTAGACTGCCCAAAAGCAAGAC2066               TGAAGATGGACCAAGTGCGGGCAATACATGTAGCAACTAGGCAAATCCCATTAATTATAT2126               ATTTAATATATACAATATATAGTTTAGGATACAATATTCTAACATAAAACCATGAGTTTA2186               TTGTTGTTCACAGATAAAATGGAATCGATTTCCCAATAAAAGCGAATATGTTTTTAAACA2246               GAATGTTTGCATCAGAACTTTGAGATGTATACATTAGATTATTACAACACAAAAAAAAAA2306               AAAAAAAAA2315                                                                  (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO:14:                                              (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:                                                  (A) LENGTH: 601 amino acids                                                    (B) TYPE: amino acid                                                           (D) TOPOLOGY: linear                                                           (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein                                                    (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:14:                                       MetAspGlyValLysValGluThrPheIleLysSerGluGluAsnArg                               151015                                                                         AlaMetProLeuIleGlyGlyGlySerAlaSerGlyGlyThrProLeu                               202530                                                                         ProGlyGlyGlyValGlyMetGlyAlaGlyAlaSerAlaThrLeuSer                               354045                                                                         ValGluLeuCysLeuValCysGlyAspArgAlaSerGlyArgHisTyr                               505560                                                                         GlyAlaIleSerCysGluGlyCysLysGlyPhePheLysArgSerIle                               65707580                                                                       ArgLysGlnLeuGlyTyrGlnCysArgGlyAlaMetAsnCysGluVal                               859095                                                                         ThrLysHisHisArgAsnArgCysGlnPheCysArgLeuGlnLysCys                               100105110                                                                      LeuAlaSerGlyMetArgSerAspSerValGlnHisGluArgLysPro                               115120125                                                                      IleValAspArgLysGluGlyIleIleAlaAlaAlaGlySerSerSer                               130135140                                                                      ThrSerGlyGlyGlyAsnGlySerSerThrTyrLeuSerGlyLysSer                               145150155160                                                                   GlyTyrGlnGlnGlyArgGlyLysGlyHisSerValLysAlaGluSer                               165170175                                                                      AlaProArgLeuGlnCysThrAlaArgGlnGlnArgAlaPheAsnLeu                               180185190                                                                      AsnAlaGluTyrIleProMetGlyLeuAsnPheAlaGluLeuThrGln                               195200205                                                                      ThrLeuMetPheAlaThrGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnGlnHis                               210215220                                                                      GlnGlnSerGlySerTyrSerProAspIleProLysAlaAspProGlu                               225230235240                                                                   AspAspGluAspAspSerMetAspAsnSerSerThrLeuCysLeuGln                               245250255                                                                      LeuLeuAlaAsnSerAlaSerAsnAsnAsnSerGlnHisLeuAsnPhe                               260265270                                                                      AsnAlaGlyGluValProThrAlaLeuProThrThrSerThrMetGly                               275280285                                                                      LeuIleGlnSerSerLeuAspMetArgValIleHisLysGlyLeuGln                               290295300                                                                      IleLeuGlnProIleGlnAsnGlnLeuGluArgAsnGlyAsnLeuSer                               305310315320                                                                   ValLysProGluCysAspSerGluAlaGluAspSerGlyThrGluAsp                               325330335                                                                      AlaValAspAlaGluLeuGluHisMetGluLeuAspPheGluCysGly                               340345350                                                                      GlyAsnArgSerGlyGlySerAspPheAlaIleAsnGluAlaValPhe                               355360365                                                                      GluGlnAspLeuLeuThrAspValGlnCysAlaPheHisValGlnPro                               370375380                                                                      ProThrLeuValHisSerTyrLeuAsnIleHisTyrValCysGluThr                               385390395400                                                                   GlySerArgIleIlePheLeuThrIleHisThrLeuArgLysValPro                               405410415                                                                      ValPheGluGlnLeuGluAlaHisThrGlnValLysLeuLeuArgGly                               420425430                                                                      ValTrpProAlaLeuMetAlaIleAlaLeuAlaGlnCysGlnGlyGln                               435440445                                                                      LeuSerValProThrIleIleGlyGlnPheIleGlnSerThrArgGln                               450455460                                                                      LeuAlaAspIleAspLysIleGluProLeuLysIleSerLysMetAla                               465470475480                                                                   AsnLeuThrArgThrLeuHisAspPheValGlnGluLeuGlnSerLeu                               485490495                                                                      AspValThrAspMetGluPheGlyLeuLeuArgLeuIleLeuLeuPhe                               500505510                                                                      AsnProThrLeuPheGlnHisArgLysGluArgSerLeuArgGlyTyr                               515520525                                                                      ValArgArgValGlnLeuTyrAlaLeuSerSerLeuArgArgGlnGly                               530535540                                                                      GlyIleGlyGlyGlyGluGluArgPheAsnValLeuValAlaArgLeu                               545550555560                                                                   LeuProLeuSerSerLeuAspAlaGluAlaMetGluGluLeuPhePhe                               565570575                                                                      AlaAsnLeuValGlyGlnMetGlnMetAspAlaLeuIleProPheIle                               580585590                                                                      LeuMetThrSerAsnThrSerGlyLeu                                                    595600                                                                         __________________________________________________________________________ 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A method of testing a compound for its ability to regulate transcription-activating effects of a receptor polypeptide, said method comprising assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting cells containing a receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound;wherein said receptor polypeptide is characterized by having a DNA binding domain comprising about 66 amino adds with 9 Cys residues, wherein said DNA binding domain is further characterized by the following amino acid sequence identity, relative to the DNA binding domains of hRAR-alpha, hTR-beta, hGR and hRXR-alpha, respectively;A.(i) about 68% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of the hTR-beta; (iii) about 45% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or B.(i) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 56% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 52%, amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXP, alpha; or C.(i) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (i) about 58% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 48% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or D.(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 52% amino acid sequence identify with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 44% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 61% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or E.(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha; and wherein said reporter vector comprises:(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell, a hormone response element, and (b) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide is characterized by the following amino acid sequence identity, relative to the ligand binding domains of hRAR-alpha, hTR-beta, hGR and hRXR-alpha, respectively:A.(i) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 30% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or B.(i) about 32% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (iii) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 23% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or C.(i) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of kRAR-alpha; (ii) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 21% amino sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 28% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or D.(i) about 19% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hgXR-alpha; or E.(i) about 18% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 24% amino sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said receptor polypeptide has an overall amino acid sequence identity, relative to hRAR-alpha, hTR-beta, hGR and hRXR-alpha, respectively of:A.(i) about 32% relative to hgAR-alpha; (ii) about 31% relative to hTR-beta; (iii) about 18% relative to hGR; and (iv) about 29% relative to hRXR-alpha; or B.(i) about 33% relative to hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 31% relative to hTR-beta; (iii) about 24% relative to hGR; and (iv) about 27% relative to hRXR-alpha; or C.(i) about 32% relative to hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 31% relative to hTR-beta; (iii) about 25% relative to hGR; and (iv) about 33% relative to hRXR-alpha; or D.(i) about 27% relative to hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 24% relative to hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% relative to hGR; and (iv) about 29% relative to hRXR-alpha; or E.(i) about 24% relative to hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 28% relative to hTR-beta; (iii) about 18% relative to hGR; and (iv) about 33% relative to hRXR-alpha.
 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said receptor polypeptide has the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NOs:2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or
 14. 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the DNA binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 68% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 45% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha.
 6. A method according to claim 1 where the DNA binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has;(i) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hKAR-alpha; (ii) about 56% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-beta; (iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 52% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the DNA binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hKAR-alpha; (ii) about 58% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 48% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 62% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the DNA binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 52% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 44% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 61% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the DNA binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 59% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 55% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 50% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 65% amino acid sequence identity with the DNA binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 10. A method of testing a compound for its ability to regulate transcription-activating effects of a receptor polypeptide, wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide is characterized by the following amino acid sequence identity, relative to the ligand binding domains of hRAR-alpha, hTR-beta, hGR and hRXR-alpha, respectively:A.(i) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 30% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or B.(i) about 32% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 23% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or C.(i) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha: (ii) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 21% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 28% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or D.(i) about 19% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGIR; and (iv) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha; or E.(i) about 3.8% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 24% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha,said method comprising: assaying for the presence or absence of reporter protein upon contacting cells containing a chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide and reporter vector with said compound; wherein said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide comprises:the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide, and the amino-terminal and DNA-binding domains of at least one previously identified member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors; wherein said reporter vector comprises:(a) a promoter that is operable in said cell, (b) a hormone response element which is responsive to the receptor from which the DNA-binding domain of said chimeric form of said receptor polypeptide is derived, and (c) a DNA segment encoding a reporter protein,wherein said reporter protein-encoding DNA segment is operatively linked to said promoter for transcription of said DNA segment, and wherein said hormone response element is operatively linked to said promoter for activation thereof.
 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 30% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 32% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 23% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 29% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 21% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 28% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 14. A method according to claim 10 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 19% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 22% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 27% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 15. A method according to claim 10 wherein the ligand binding domain of said receptor polypeptide has:(i) about 18% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRAR-alpha; (ii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hTR-beta; (iii) about 20% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hGR; and (iv) about 24% amino acid sequence identity with the ligand binding domain of hRXR-alpha.
 16. A method according to claim 10 wherein said at least one previously identified member of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors is selected from glucocorticoid receptor (GR), thyroid receptors (TR), retinoic acid receptors (RAR), mineraloeorticoid receptor (MR), estrogen receptor (ER), estrogen related receptor, retinoid X receptor, vitamin D receptor (VDR), aldosterone receptor (AR), progesterone receptor (PR), ultraspiracle receptor (USP), nerve growth factor induced protein-B (NGFI-B), the coup family of transcription factors (COUP), peroxisome proliferatar-activated receptor (PPAR), or mammalian receptor TR2 (TR2). 